(The Center Square) – Michael Larko wasn’t an official speaker at Seattle’s ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on Friday, but attending helped heal his soul.
He made it out of the North Tower of the World Trade Center seconds before it collapsed, racing against time from the 82nd floor.
Depression followed for years, a throat cancer diagnosis and the struggle of knowing that 61 of his colleagues at Euro Brokers had died.
“It’s just so moving, the words that people spoke today, it just really touched me deep,” he told The Center Square in an interview.
The Seattle ceremony was one of dozens across the U.S., including the annual memorial event in New York City.
The ceremony at the International Fountain at The Seattle Center opened with the words of Alex Righero, a senior human relations partner at the center.
“I’m also an active-duty veteran and still currently serve in the Air Force Reserves,” she said. ” And like many of you. I remember the attacks on September 11th and they made a profound impact on me. I was in my last year in high school, getting ready for school, and remember witnessing on the morning news show, the attacks happening. And it lasted with me.”
She said less than a year later, she entered the Air Force.
“That moment of crisis shaped my dedication,” she said.
Other featured speakers included Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.
“Today, we remember the heroes who witnessed an act of unimaginable horror, and bravely rushed into the wreckage and flames to help,” Wilson said. “The police, the firefighters, the EMTs, and others who saved lives, often at great cost and sacrifice, both that day and for years to come.”
“Today, we remember that even in the face of great tragedy, there is still hope, still goodness to celebrate.”
Sayles said that 25 years ago, he remembers sitting in his dorm room as a freshman at Iowa Wesleyan University, watching television news about the attack.
“Like every American, I was scared, stunned, and just couldn’t process it,” he said.
The chief said America was changed forever, and so was he.
Sayles said he decided he wanted to go into law enforcement to protect the innocent.
Scoggins said remembering the tragic events of 25 years ago was important.
“It’s about making sure that we never forget those stories, sacrifices, and impact, even as the years continue to pass,” he said. “For many, the memories of 9/11 remain vivid. We’re taken back to the moment we first saw the aftermath of the planes crashing into the towers. Shock, disbelief, fear, confusion. These are just a few of the emotions that I felt. And you probably did too.”
Scoggins recognized Assistant Seattle Fire Chief Chris Lombard for his work recovering bodies through the piles of wreckage at the World Trade Center after the attacks.
Lombard did not speak, but recalled after the service his experiences as a firefighter being sent to New York City as a member of Washington Task Force 1.
“Still to this day, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said, “The damage, the carnage, and everything,” he said in an interview with The Center Square.
He said his team found no one alive, but felt they were doing a service as they recovered unidentified body after body for 14 days.
Ultimately, he said, it was a moving experience.
“Everybody was trying to rally. There were so many volunteers in New York trying to help in any and every way that they could,” he said.
Larko, the World Trade Center survivor, said the second plane had not yet hit the North Tower when he, followed by 30 other co-workers, decided to walk down 82 floors.
The tower’s public address system said the building was secure and told everyone to stay in place, he recalled.
He had only gotten down around ten floors when the second plane hit his tower.
When he got to a sky lobby on the 46th floor, he had to change stairways and heard the sound of “thump, thump, thump.”
Others trying to escape told him what was going on: people were jumping off the building.
“I’m going, ‘Oh my God,"” he said.
Larko said smoke filled the second stairway, and he can’t recall exactly how he made it to the first floor and out of the building.
Larko, who lives in Florida and is now retired, said he decided to combine attending the memorial service with attending the Seahawks opening game on Wednesday.
He used to visit Seattle on business and decided it would be a good place to attend a memorial.
Larko said he has never told his story to anyone, but that doing so is part of his healing journey.