NANTICOKE — On a day when America remembers and honors all who perished on Sept. 11, 2001, Felix Danz paid tribute to his brother, Vin Danz, who was killed when the South Tower collapsed.
It took months before the remains of Vin Danz were recovered, and his brother vividly recalled going to the morgue with his mother to identify the body.
Felix said he knew he was looking at his brother because his brother was still wearing the boots Felix had given Vin.
Luzerne County Community College on Friday honored the lives lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of first responders during its 25th annual Sept. 11th Remembrance Ceremony at the college’s Walk of Honor at the Public Safety Training Institute.
The solemn ceremony brought together members of the LCCC community, first responders, veterans, students, and community members to remember those who lost their lives and recognize the continued service of those who protect and serve others.
Felix Danz delivered an emotional speech, talking about his younger brother and the kind of person he was — a devoted son, husband, brother, uncle, and friend.
Felix carried with him an item that he pieced together, which he dedicated to Vin. It’s a wooden square made from a pool deck that Vin repaired for Felix. Attached to the wooden plaque are two pieces of steel from the World Trade Center South Tower and the soles of the boots Vin was wearing the day he died rescuing people in that tower.
The soles were removed from a pair of boots that Felix gave to Vin, and he wore them to work on that fateful morning.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Vin Danz and his squad were among the first responders on the scene to rescue trapped civilians.
While inside the South Tower, he called his wife to describe the situation and utter his famous final words:
“Hon, it’s 9:50, and I’m at the WTC. I’m up in the building. Say a prayer that we get some of these people out. I’m OK, but say a prayer for me. I love you.”
He was killed when the tower collapsed.
Vin Danz was posthumously awarded the NYPD’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, as well as the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush in 2005.
Felix Danz, a Geisinger Life Flight pilot and U.S. Army and Coast Guard veteran, said his brother was an NYPD Emergency Services police officer.
“I continue to be gob-smacked that 25 years has passed since that fateful day in September,” Felix Danz said. “As with any loss when a loved one is stolen from us, the wound may heal, but the pain remains — dulled by time for sure, but never really gone.”
Danz reflected on his brother’s dedication to his profession and his pride in serving as an NYPD Emergency Services officer.
“My brother Vin would simultaneously be amused and overwhelmingly moved by the tribute that LCCC offers him today,” Danz said. “He was both humble and proud — humble in that he didn’t speak much of his vocation as an NYPD Emergency Services cop, but immensely proud to be one.”
Danz recalled that his brother had sometimes lamented not responding to major emergencies that received national attention.
“Unfortunately, holding true to the adage of ‘be careful for what you wish for,’ he rolled on the biggest job of his life,” Danz said.
Danz concluded his remarks with a deeply personal reflection.
“I take solace in knowing that each day since I saw him last is one day closer to when I’ll see him again,” he said.
Danz then ended his speech by singing “Oh, Danny Boy,” a melancholic Irish melody with lyrics that express deep grief, farewell, and a comforting promise of reunion after death.
An emotion-filled ceremony
LCCC President John Yudichak said for 25 years, the college’s family has gathered at the Walk of Honor to host one of the nation’s longest-running memorials to first responders and to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11.
“To our first responders and to the families who support them at Luzerne County Community College, we will always remember, and we shall never forget,” Yudichak said.
Yudichak reflected on the origins of the Walk of Honor, which was dedicated to fallen New York City firefighter Michael Carlo, who lost his life at the World Trade Center on 9/11.
“I am still heartbroken, 25 years later, thinking of the moment I first met Phyllis Carlo, the mother of two sons — Michael and Rob — who served as firefighters in the New York Fire Department,” Yudichak said. “Michael was killed on 9/11 as he charged into the collapsing World Trade Center to save lives. I will never forget Phyllis Carlo grasping my hand and saying to me, ‘Please help me keep Michael’s memory alive.’ From a mother’s love and resilience came the LCCC Walk of Honor and the LCCC Public Safety Institute — two living monuments to America’s first responders, like Mike Carlo, and their families.”
Established in 2002, the Walk of Honor has served as a lasting tribute to first responders and their families and continues to provide a hallowed place for the LCCC community and the region to gather in remembrance.
Douglas Fawbush, director of LCCC Public Safety and Security, provided the greeting and closing remarks, emphasizing the importance of continuing the annual tradition of remembrance for future generations.
“It’s important that we continue this ceremony to pay tribute to the first responders and all the victims who tragically lost their lives that day,” Fawbush said. “An ever-growing number of our students and fellow Americans have no personal memory of September 11, either because they were too young or had not yet been born. It is our responsibility to teach them about the bravery, courage, and sacrifice of those who were lost and the emergency personnel who responded in the aftermath of the greatest terrorist attack on U.S. soil.”
The ceremony featured a processional by bagpiper Bernadette Jesperson, a flag ceremony by representatives of the Nanticoke Fire Department, and the singing of the National Anthem by LCCC graduate Olivia Sherrick. LCCC Emergency Medical Services students Darla Robinholt and Crissie Hobbs led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The program also included the presentation of a memorial wreath, a Final Alarm Tribute, and a benediction delivered by Father Brian Van Fossen of St. Faustina Parish.
Leo Sokoloski, director of the LCCC Police Academy, also addressed those gathered.
“As we honor those lost on Sept. 11, we reaffirm our commitment to developing public servants who embody the same courage, selflessness, and dedication displayed by America’s heroes on that day,” Sokoloski said.
The 25th annual September 11th Remembrance Ceremony continued LCCC’s longstanding tradition of honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11, while recognizing the courage, dedication, and selflessness of first responders who continue to serve their communities.
5th-grade students attend
The day was especially significant for approximately 220 fifth-grade students from the Nanticoke Area School District who attended the ceremony.
Nanticoke Area 5th-grade teacher Stephanie Panny had been working with LCCC on a Sept. 11 educational video for her students. As part of that learning experience, Panny arranged for all fifth-grade students in the district to attend LCCC’s 25th annual Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony in person.
For many of the students, Sept. 11, 2001, is history they have only learned about through their teachers, parents, books, and videos.
Panny said bringing the students to the LCCC Walk of Honor gave them an opportunity to learn about the events of 9/11 and to witness first-hand a community coming together to remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives and honor the first responders who answered the call that day.
Panny said their presence also served as a powerful reminder that, 25 years later, the responsibility to remember and teach future generations continues.