Community Unites to Create Lasting 9/11 Memorial

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America were a tragedy so profound that they inspired passengers aboard a hijacked airplane to fight back, compelled first responders to rush into unimaginable danger, united a grieving nation, and allowed humble heroes to make a lasting impact in the face of devastation. It is only fitting that their courage and sacrifice be honored in a meaningful way.

As 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, the Marco Island Fire Rescue Foundation is building an iconic 9/11 Memorial that will be unveiled this September at the main fire station on Marco Island, located at the intersection of San Marco Road and Heathwood Drive.

The memorial will feature an exact stainless-steel replica of the World Trade Center Twin Towers, standing nine feet seven inches tall and mounted on a granite foundation. Plaques will honor the 2,977 lives lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Supporters of the memorial will also have the opportunity to have their names etched into the marble or recognized on commemorative plaques.

Among those with a deeply personal connection to the events of that day is Peter Hayden, now a Marco Island resident, who served as Deputy Chief of the New York City Fire Department on September 11, 2001. Hayden was in command of Firehouse Division One and narrowly survived the attacks. His team later inspired the nation by carrying out the first official casualty recovered at Ground Zero — Fire Department Chaplain Father Mychal Judge.

In a September 2, 2002, article published in Firehouse Magazine, Hayden recalled the harrowing moments as they unfolded. Having completed an overnight shift, he was in quarters when he heard a plane flying unusually low overhead.

When he arrived at the World Trade Center, chaos had already erupted.

“There were several people in the street who were burned, the front windows of the lobby were blown out, and people were screaming,” Hayden recalled.

After learning that American Airlines Flight 11 had struck the North Tower near the 80th floor, Hayden dispatched a company of firefighters to the 71st floor to begin rescue operations.

He was standing in the North Tower lobby when the South Tower collapsed.

“Father Judge and others were killed,” Hayden said. “We knew a calamitous event had occurred, and we issued a mayday to evacuate the North Tower.”

By then, the lobby had been engulfed in darkness for nearly 15 minutes.

“I couldn’t see anything, but some of our guys picked up Father Judge and carried his body out,” Hayden remembered.

Moments later, Hayden found himself just outside the lobby near the command post when the North Tower collapsed.

“It sounded like a jet engine,” he said. “There was a firetruck there, and I crawled under it.”

Although the truck sustained severe damage from falling debris, it did not collapse — a circumstance Hayden believes likely saved his life.

It is heroes like Chief Hayden — along with the countless firefighters, police officers, paramedics, clergy members, rescue workers, and recovery crews who responded on 9/11 and continue to suffer its effects today — who deserve to be remembered through the Marco Island 9/11 Memorial.

To ensure that legacy endures for generations to come, the Marco Island Fire Rescue Foundation has formed a committee dedicated to raising funds, constructing, unveiling, and maintaining the memorial.

The committee is currently working to raise $100,000 for the project and has already surpassed 60 percent of its goal.

There are several ways for residents, families, and businesses to contribute. Donors may have their names engraved on the memorial’s granite ledge as patrons or recognized on sponsor plaques.

Online donations may also be made at https://marcoislandfirerescuefoundation.com. Click on 9/11 Memorial along the top banner.

For more information, contact Dianna Dohm, President of the Marco Island Fire-Rescue Foundation, at dianna@marcoislandchamber.org, or John Stuart, ad-hoc committee member, at johndstuart11@gmail.com.