9/11 Memorial Ceremony was held Friday evening in Loveland

Ceremony honored the heroes who lost their life

September 11, 2001

By Chuck Gibson

LOVELAND, OHIO – (September 13, 2020) First responders, policemen and firefighters came together in Loveland Friday evening, September 11, 2020 to honor their brethren, and all the heroes who lost their lives 19 years ago in the terrorist attacks on The World Trade Center in New York City, on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and on Flight 93 brought down in a Pennsylvania field.

Members of the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department and Loveland Police Department gathered near the Loveland Police and Fireman’s Memorial on the Scenic Little Miami River Trail in Downtown Historic Loveland. Many City of Loveland officials were on hand along with LSFD Chief Otto Huber, Police Chief Sean Rahe, and honored guest speaker, retired Cincinnati Police Lieutenant Bruce Hoffbauer. Among them was City Manager David Kennedy, Mayor Kathy Bailey, City Council members Tim Butler, Neal Oury and others.

Chief Huber began the ceremony with opening remarks reminding the crowd of people on hand of the promise to always remember that fateful day, September, 11, 2001.

He spoke about the first memorial ceremony held in Loveland 18 years ago and keeping the promise to honor those heroes from 9/11 in Loveland forever. Huber closed his remarks with a introduction of the honored speaker for the ceremony, a 34 year veteran of the Cincinnati Police Department, retired Lieutenant Bruce Hoffbauer.

“Thank you everyone,” said Hoffbauer as he began speaking to the gathering. “It is truly an honor to be here and have the opportunity to speak to you on this most solemn of days.”

Hoffbauer told how, as he prepared his remarks for the ceremony, he thought about the many things people would say on the 19th anniversary of that horrible day, September 11, 2001.

He thought about the nearly 3,000 people lost that day; how it changed our country and how our lives would never be the same again. Then he shared his thoughts about heroes.

 “Heroes. Think about that word,” Hoffbauer said. “A hero is defined as a person who is admired, idealized for courage, outstanding achievements and qualities.”

Hoffbauer says somewhere along the way that changed. Now hero status is bestowed upon people with tremendous athletic ability, or great hand and eye coordination. Those are qualities he described as “truly a gift from God” and said they should be shared and appreciated.

“As I reflect on what hero means to me, I think about names like Cincinnati Police Officer Sonny Kim, Clermont County Deputy Sheriff Bill Brewer, Cincinnati Firefighter Daryl Gordon and many other first-responders who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for us,” said Hoffbauer. “You see the names I mentioned aren’t just names, they are people that I know. What makes those names even more special to me is that my daughter Katie is a Cincinnati Police Officer, my wife Patty, here with me tonight, is a retired Cincinnati Police Officer; my dad, Ray Hoffbauer, who is here with me, is a retired Colonel from Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department.”

Hoffbauer closed with a most poignant reminder of the heroes from 9/11 reciting the number of first responders on that fateful day that woke up, went to work, and then made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Nearly 3,000 died including the passengers on Flight 93 – Sudden Heroes – who sacrificed to save others. His remarks received a strong ovation from fellow police, firefighters, city officials and the general public who gathered Friday night for the honoring of the heroes from 9/11.

A police honor guard made formal presentation of colors with the lowering of the American Flag to half-mast on the flagpole in the Loveland Police and Fireman’s Memorial. Bagpipes played during the formal march by the honor guard for the lighting of the search lights surrounding the flag and coming to a circular point of light reaching high into the black velvet sky.

A fireworks display also lit the sky and Ralph Quisno sang a medley of songs honoring America, New York City and our heroes. The ceremony was a beautiful way to remember a most horrible moment in the history of our nation, and to honor those heroes who fell that day