100 La Mesans Honor 9/11 Victims, Rescuers on 10th Anniversary

Some 100 people led by Mayor Art Madrid and Legacy Church Pastor Curt Gruber remembered the victims and rescuers of 9/11 Sunday morning in a somber 15-minute ceremony in front of Fire Station No. 12.

Residents left hand-drawn cards, artwork and flowers at the memorial as traffic passed on Dallas Street, near La Mesita Park and Parkway Middle School.

Gruber’s wife, Lisa, led the respectful crowd in the national anthem, and police officer Scott Dreyer, a 5 1/2-year veteran, performed the wreath-laying as part of the La Mesa police honor guard, accompanied by Officer Daniel Garcia.

Councilmen Mark Arapostathis, Ernie Ewin and Dave Allan also attended, with Allan looking forward to playing tenor drums in a bagpipe band later in the day—at the USS Midway memorial in San Diego Bay.

A six-member contingent from the San Diego Firefighters Emerald Pipes and Drums played mournful melodies including Amazing Grace. The band included La Mesa resident Ron Allison and Ed Montgomery; Allan would join them at the Midway event.

Local Boy Scouts donated a 9/11 flag bearing names of the victims, Allan said near the stone monument honoring first-responders of Sept. 11, 2001, placed by the city nine years ago—under a wooden shade canopy provided by Reynolds Communities.