September 10, 2023 • 30 mins
Tyler Ryan speaks with Major David Kerr, a Member of the 9/11 Rembrance Foundation. The pair talk about Memorial in downtown Columiba, the annual ceremony, and the importance of remembering.
Carolina Cares is hosted by award winning radio and television personality Tyler Ryan, and recorded at iHeart Studio in Columbia South Carolina, and air across the state of South Carolina on the South Carolina Radio Network. In addition to Carolina Cares, Tyler Ryan is seen weekday mornings on ABC Columbia’s Good Morning Columbia television program, where he serves as the Host and Morning Weather Anchor.
Tyler is also a professional Emcee and Brand Ambassador.
If you have an idea for a Carolina Cares topic our would like to appear on the show, you can reach out to him at Tyler@CarolinaCaresRadio.com
You can find Tyler on Instagram www.instagram.com/tylerryanonline and Facebook www.facebook.com/tylerryanonline
Carolina Cares is hosted by award winning radio and television personality Tyler Ryan, and recorded at iHeart Studio in Columbia South Carolina, and air across the state of South Carolina on the South Carolina Radio Network. In addition to Carolina Cares, Tyler Ryan is seen weekday mornings on ABC Columbia’s Good Morning Columbia television program, where he serves as the Host and Morning Weather Anchor.
Tyler is also a professional Emcee and Brand Ambassador.
If you have an idea for a Carolina Cares topic our would like to appear on the show, you can reach out to him at Tyler@CarolinaCaresRadio.com
You can find Tyler on Instagram www.instagram.com/tylerryanonline and Facebook www.facebook.com/tylerryanonline
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Good morning, and welcome to CarolinaCares and iHeartRadio production here on the South
Carolina Radio Network. Herd across thisfantastic state from Horse Country over Anaking the
low Country, out towards the Beats, the Grand strand, the Upstate,
and of course right here in themidlands of South Carolina, where we happen
to find the flagship station for CarolinaCares w VOCAM and FM and Columbia.
(00:22):
My name is Tyler Ryan, yourhost. Thank you so much for joining
us as as you do week afterweek for the program. It means a
lot your input, the emails weget, the social media contacts and communications.
You know. Actively. Part ofthe show is always if there's a
topic you want to hear a discussingCarolina Cares or maybe you think you'd make
a darn fine guest, you canemail me Tyler at Carolina Cares Radio dot
(00:44):
com. It's Tyler at Carolina CaresRadio dot com. We always invite you
to join the Facebook. If youhaven't yet, just look up Carolina Cares
Radio. It's kind of a themewe have going on. You find that
we put up links to the shows, all kinds of fun stuff and also
if you. If you haven't yet, you can always listen to the show
again and again, because after itairs well, we do put it on
that podcast. You can get itoff the iHeartRadio app. And if you
(01:07):
don't have that app, simple toget go to your store, your play
store, app store, look upiHeartRadio. You download that, and then
you put in yeah, you guessedit, Carolina Cares Radio. And not
only this episode from today, butthe hundreds and I mean hundreds of other
episodes that we have created through thelast many years of doing the show.
It means a lot. You know, you guys. By all accounts,
(01:29):
it was a fairly non to scriptTuesday morning around the country twenty two years
ago. I mean, I startedall kind of cool. On the East
Coast. It's beginning to be fall, right. It was bright and sunny,
ultimately reaching eighty one degrees in NewYork, eighty three in DC,
and even in Pennsylvania an unseasonable seventysix degrees. Unfortunately, the eventual delightfully
warm weather was the last thing onanyone's mind on the East Coast and frankly
(01:53):
around the world, because by theend of that Tuesday, September eleventh,
two thousand and one, there wouldbe nearly three thousand less people in the
world, nearly three thousand less mothers, fathers, sons, daughters who had
enjoyed their last breakfast with a family, and three thousand families who had given
that last kiss to their loved one. Now, the events of that day
(02:15):
are forever seared into our brains.The images of a plane crash into an
empty field, the Pentagon on fire, and the skyline of New York changed
forever with the lack of a pairof two thousand foot towers that had stood
as a symbol to the ability andgreatness of this country for thirty years.
It was a lot more than askyline, though, that was lost that
(02:36):
day, More than three thousand souls. It was our collective innocence, our
complacency, our belief that maybe,just maybe there really weren't wicked people in
the world, cowards, evil actorsthat would execute three thousand people in this
country over the course of a coupleof hours. Now, in the days
that followed, we search for survivors, we search for answers, and we
(03:00):
felt ourselves dying a little inside.Every single day. Over the next twenty
two years, we went to warsought some vindication, vindication I suppose,
and ultimately made to look foolish toa degree on the international stage. Yeah,
that's neither here nor there for today'sconversation. The topic today are the
(03:20):
heroes, the heroes that died thatmorning trying to save everyone in anyone from
a pair of towers that would ultimatelycollapse on them, and of course the
brave men and women that have paidthe ultimate sacrifice serving country and community since
that morning. Now across the country, there have been many memorials built to
ensure that we honor and never forgetthese souls that were and continue to be
(03:44):
ripped from our lives, and Columbiais no different. In September of two
eleven, a small group of communitymembers joined forces and set out to build
a memorial many thought wouldn't come topass because of what the plan was.
A pair of twenty five foot granitetowers bearing the names of every first responder
that has died in the line ofduty since that day, along with a
(04:05):
pair of twisted steel beams that wereonce part of the structure known as Tower
One in New York City. Well, the reality is that memorial did come
to pass. It is there,and it's the home of a very important
ceremony every September eleventh, to SouthCarolina Rememberance Foundation pays honor to our heroes,
(04:26):
those who gave all, and thosewho are willing to take that last
call, to run that last fireor patrol that last wall. Joining this
morning from the nine eleventh Foundation herein South Carolina, retired Major David Kerr,
Major, Good morning, Good morning, Thank you so much for doing
(04:46):
this, Tyler, and just raisingthe awareness of our foundation and our event
that we've done, you know,for over a decade since since the inception
of the memorial, So we reallyappreciate this opportunity absolutely. It just there's
no way arounds that the fact thatwe're going to take time to do that
this morning. First, I wantto thank you for your service you retired
(05:09):
Major, twenty two years of servicein the Army. Thank you for doing
not only what you continue to doserving community, but but serving this country.
We're better for it. Thank you, and you know every you know
when here in South Carolina. I'mfrom Maryland originally and here in South Carolina,
and one of the reasons why Iwanted to move down here is because
(05:30):
the community of South Carolina in theSouth in general, really understands the meaning
of the words service. They reallyappreciate they're the sacrifice of their first responders
and their military service members. It'sone of those things that you know,
a lot of times, military servicemembers and first responders, you know,
they're the quiet professionals. No onedoes it for the notoriety, and no
(05:55):
one does it to be thanked.A matter of fact, at times,
it can be a little embarrassing,you know, in public and your someplace
and someone thanks you for your service, and you feel like, why are
you thanking me. It's my duty, it's my responsibility. That's that's what
I was born to do. Andbut you know what, in the deep
heart of first responders and military servicemembers, we truly appreciate it. And
(06:18):
in South Carolina in particular, inthe Midlands of South Carolina, I can
truly say, and I've been inall over the world, is one of
the most military friendly communities that I'veever been in, that I've ever served
in. So I just want tothank South Carolina and in particular Midlands for
(06:39):
taking care of your soldiers, yourservice members, your first responders. It
really makes doing what I did andwhat they currently do possible. Yeah,
and I agree, and listeners know, you know, I've been a police
officer for more years than I careto admit on the radio as well,
(06:59):
and I concur it's you know,it's not you're at my my drive to
serve. You know, it wasfull time for many years, part time.
Still it wasn't it certainly wasn't themoney, my goodness, not in
Vermont for sure. And uh,and not the glory. You know,
there's men and women who do that, who have done it. It's a
it's it takes something special to youknow, do that every day, put
(07:23):
put on a uniform. You know, the sacrifice. And and it's not
even just the sacrifice of of yourlife potentially. I mean, when you
serve, it's you're making sacrifices tohaving a regular family. You're making sacrifices.
You know, you've got to getdeployed, you're gone for a year.
You're making that sacrifice. Hey,honey, I'll see in a year.
I mean that's that and alone isan incredible sacrifice. Yeah. In
(07:46):
my in my situation, when myson was born in two thousand, immediately
following I had twenty eight days withhim, and then I left to become
an officer, to become an armyofficer, So I went to school,
did that, and then in theup going to Korea for thirteen months as
a platoon leader. That was myfirst assignment. So really my son's first
five years of his life. Iwas with them about two wow. And
(08:09):
that's a kind of sacrifice. Alot of military service members go through with
the separation, and first responders thoughthey don't go through that long term separation.
You know, it's those rotating shifts. It's all the birthdays where they're
working on a weekend, you know, and they can't be there for a
birthday party, or they can't bethere for a you know, a baptism
(08:30):
or whatever, just a family eventthat you know, a lot of people
who don't serve in those capacities justdon't understand that piece of the sacrifice and
the toll over twenty twenty five thirtyyear career it can have. Yeah.
Yeah, Christmas is you know,I mean I remember, you know,
when I was working, I Iwas you know, single, I had
no family. I would always voluntehere to work Christmas Day because you know,
(08:52):
I knew I do my guys.My partner, you know, he
had a family, and so I'mlike, I get nothing else to do
today, I'll work the shift,you know. And yeah, and I
did the same thing as the companycommander and a stomb leader. It's like,
you know, it's it's like Ididn't always work the road every day
as a military police officer, buton holidays and uh, in special events
for my guys, I'd come inand work a shift, you know,
(09:15):
just so they could go home andbe with their family. And that's just
what it's all about. And that'sand that and that just says something about
all the way up the chain,I mean, up to deputy chiefs and
everything, especially in small departments.Even even when you make to that chief
level or that deputy chief or whatever, you're still sacrificing for your guys,
your team, you're you're you know, and their families. Right. So
(09:35):
it's really just the life, alife of service, and yeah it is
and and ultimately all too many times, sixty one times here in the Midlands
alone since two thousand and one,that that sacrifice goes way beyond a Christmas
Day or a birthday party, right, you know what, when when not
eleven happens. You know, everybody, everybody has their story. You know,
(09:58):
here's he you know, here's whereI was, and it's it's going
to be. It's it's indelible.I mean it died. I can tell
I was. I was in acourtroom testifying the drug case. And I
never I looked out. I lookedout the courtroom door and we have you
know, court security, and hisname is Dave Brault, and he looked
in. He looked into the glassand he started shaking his head. And
I was like, you know,So I got off the stand and I'm
(10:18):
like, dude, what's up?And he goes where at war? Those
are his He goes where at war? And I said, what are you
talking about? Because I was,you know, I had been in a
courtroom and uh right, and Ijust unbelievable. Nip my yeah, my
story. I was actually on thed militari zone. We were doing maneuvers.
They call it a company XE val, so you're doing all your combat
(10:39):
skills training with your platoon and inour case, it was a company.
So we had been out doing uhnight react to sniper operations and we had
uh we'd come in about eleven PM. Into the rain control our bivouack where
(11:01):
we were staying, and they calledall the all the platoon leaders and company
commander and senior noncommissioned officers together inrange control. And I walked in the
room and that's when we saw thesecond plane hit. So I actually had
a guy in my platoon his hehad a family member who worked in Tower
one. And so so imagine thattrying to tell your go back out of
(11:24):
the range control control and go tellyour soldier who came from New York City
and has a family member that worksthere. You know, this is what's
going on. Fortunately they were notat work that day. Wow. So
but but but it took a longtime for him to find that out,
right, yep. But I stillcan recall and and you know, the
(11:45):
older you get, the less youyou you remember things. I mean,
I hate to say that, butthat is one thing I can still visualize
from you know, twenty twenty twoyears ago. I mean I can still
see it like it was yesterday.There was there was such a change,
you know, and it impacted everybodydifferently. But there was such a change
instantly in the way we looked atthe world, looked at everything, I
(12:07):
mean, maybe we lived in aglass house. Maybe we figured, you
know, nobody nobody would ever,you know, ever do that. We've
had we had domestic terrorism, youknow, we had somebody had bombed the
the World Trace Center if you recalledbefore Timothy McVeigh and I think in Oklahoma
there was there was a bombing.So there had been some Oklahoma City,
yeah, Oklahoma City, but justnothing on that scale. I don't know
(12:28):
if i'm and I'm sure, I'msure there was military military intelligence what it
is. You know, I'm surethat somebody must have figured at some point,
But I can say that I neverreally worried about it. I never
thought about something like that, right, And to bring it back to the
first responders, how do you preparefor something like that? The recovery operation
(12:48):
and the response operation in New YorkCity for nine to eleven was absolutely the
largest response, search and rescue ofits kind in the history of the United
States. So how do you prepareall those first first responders to go in
there and handle something that military hastrained for. You know, you're trained
to go into combat, you're trainingto go deal with terrorists and deal with
(13:11):
those situations. Especially in my priorcareer fields, But how do you prepare
an EMT or paramedic to understand whatthat's going to be like. So imagine
that indelible impact that that has onthose personnel who were there at ground zero
for the weeks that followed that event. Yeah, I just and it still
(13:33):
blows my mind just just to thinkabout that. And the fact that it's
been twenty two years is also we'regetting old, major, we're getting old.
Yeah, that you know, that'sfor sure. So yeah, you
know, obviously, as I mentionedin the in the open, around the
country, there have been, asthere should be, memorials in many many
communities, some large, some small, you know, all to to those
(13:56):
Americans. You know. Yeah,yes it was New York City, Yes
it was DC. Yes it wasa field in Pennsylvania. But every single
one of us was in every singleone of our communities, every single one
of our backyards. And that's that'sa scary. Part two is especially rid
after but even to this day,you never know when it can happen again.
Rights, it's yeah, righting,and you know if if and that's
(14:18):
part of our foundation and what wedo. It's like we understand that that
was a dark time in the historyof the United States, but what it's
done to make us stronger as aas a country, but also in the
response community. You know, nowthat we've had that one life changing event,
you know, it's very important thatwe remember what came out of it
(14:39):
and then move forward in a positiveway. And that's what our foundation is
all about, is we want toremember, but we don't want to dwell.
We don't want to look at andremember the bad aspects of it.
You know, you want to nowswitch to the positive mindset and what have
we done and how have we improvedour response capabilities? Our intelligence networks are
military in order to help prevent thatfrom ever happening again. And so our
(15:03):
memorial when we when we do theevent every year, we try to give
a little bit of history. Wedo the bells ring when each the ceremony
actually follows the timeline of the firstattack all the way through to the last
last attack and throughout the program,we have a bell that's rung and what
(15:26):
that bell signifies is that strike ofthat aircraft and then we have a moment
of silence afterward after a short narrationto just remind people, you know,
the timeline and how it happened allover that two hour period, and it
really makes people realize, Man,what we all must have been thinking back
then after that first and then thatsecond, and then that third and then
(15:48):
that fourth, sitting there wondering whatwas there going to be a fifth and
sixth? Right, So, Imean it's it's really an impactful ceremony from
that regard, and it's all abouteducation, remembering and moving forward. Speaking
this morning with retired Major David Kerrfrom the South Carolina Rememberance Foundation, part
of the big memorial that we haveand and and in full disclosure, I
(16:10):
want to talk about the memorial infull disclosure, it was originally it was
the the vision of Dan Hannigan,who is the founder of this foundation.
Folks who know Dan know Dan,but Dan is Dan is one of those
bulldogs that he's He's from New York, he's down here in the South and
he does not care if you getout, how are you doing? If
(16:32):
you give him a mission, andhe's going to get it done. You
know, we want to fly inF sixteen over downtown Columbia, but we
can't do that. Get the Presidenton the phone, We'll get it done.
I mean, that's that's Dankole knockingthe White House door. But I'll
never forget when he approached me inI don't know, two thy ten,
I guess with the idea. Isaw him. I saw him like in
Loews and he said, you know, are you doing. I'm like,
(16:52):
you know, all right, Dan, I think we'd we had met somewhere
before something, you know, Andyou know, he knew I was a
first responder. I knew his background. He's also of than the military and
whatnot, and he wanted me tocome to a meeting the next morning.
I like, I hop in Lexington. I'm like, God, all right.
And that's where he laid out thisplan to create this this memorial that
would ultimately become this memorial. Andit was like, man, that's that's
(17:15):
a heavy lift. I mean hisvision two twenty five foot granite towers,
big big fat granite towers, beamsthat that the group had had been gifted
from, uh, you know,from the memorial or whatever, from the
I guess the Museum of the Archivesup there from from Tower one, you
know, and it put these namesof these these first responders and military members
(17:36):
from the Midlands on these walls itwas to be. I'm so proud of
it, a part of it fromthe beginning, but it was incredible to
watch the community come together over thecourse of was it eleven ten months,
eleven months whatever it took us tobuild that thing, right, Yeah,
And and it involved first responders,the the the beams actually went to different
(17:56):
departments around the state from people tospend some time and pay their respects with
them. So, I mean,it was really a big, big deal,
and it was something that really hadn'tbeen done down here to kind of
make that link in that tie backto New York City in the nine to
eleven you know, Whiteknell High Schoolhad actually previously they had donated a ladder
(18:17):
truck there, so they had raisedall the money necessary. And Dan actually
took a bunch of the White KnellHigh School students, some of which or
first responders now are in the military, and took him up there and they
went up to the station where wherethe tower was going to be stationed.
And uh, and it was justthat connection and that link to New York
(18:40):
City is is He's really brought thathere, right and we have that connection.
Curt me if I'm wrong. Therewas a there was another connection with
a fire. Didn't New York Citydo something for us at one point too?
Yes, but I was afraid youwere going to ask me that because
I don't know what year it was, but it was long before I think
Tyler and David. But there wasan incident and New York City had supported
(19:03):
down in South Carolina at one pointin the history of South Carolina. I
don't remember the details of it,but yes, that that did a Corralso
so there's always been a link,right, And that's I'd find that interesting
that there's been that randomly, youknow, from from Lexington to to New
York City, you know, fromSouth Carolina. Really, you know,
I mean this moral is is ismore than the Midlands for sure. I
(19:23):
mean it's it's uh, it's SouthCarolina and beyond for this thing. But
over the years, you know,unfortunately that the vision, you know,
Dan's vision, was too every yearto have this, have this ceremony that
we have coming up on Monday,and we read the names of every fallen
first responder and I say first responderit's for sake of argument, it's it's
(19:44):
fire, ems, police and ofcourse military. So I you know,
some folks say first responder, Doyou think I mean police? I mean
I mean somebody who puts on auniform and serves well, and you know
me. You know me, andwe've known each other a long time,
you know, associated with this ordanization. And one thing that I always try
to whenever we talk about first responders, there's one group and we don't have
(20:06):
fortunately they're not in the line offire like a lot of first responders,
but the nine one one dispatchers andcall takers that really are the first first
responders. You know, no resourcecan roll, no resource can get to
the scene of an emergency and helpthe citizens without that nine one one dispatcher
there to take the information properly andget it to the resource it's necessary.
(20:29):
So I always include them. Fortunately, I don't know they we'll ever have
one on the wall, but Ialways like to remember them. Yeah,
you know, I'm glad you mentionedthat. But and think about that too.
I mean not only dispatchers, likelike anyone who goes out in patrols,
jumps in a fire truck, orwalks a wall. You know,
they do it for service, becausedispatchers don't get paid, you know,
any more than the police. Doright, but so you know they've got
(20:52):
that service in them too. I'veI've never I've never done dispatch, but
I would me personally, I knowme, I would find it incredibly make
me feel incredibly helpless to be onthe other end of the phone and yes,
you're doing something, Yes you're sendingthe police, you're sending the fire.
I get you know you're doing something, but I would find it really
(21:12):
frustrating to have to listen to somethingplay out on the phone, because you
know what happens. You could youcall, you're in a fight, you're
in a domestic or a shooting orwhatever. Your house is on fire.
You know there's a matter of timebefore somebody can get there to help.
And you've got to be as adispatcher, the one who's listening to the
sheer terror, the the medical emergencythat's happening, and you can't do a
(21:32):
darn thing about it except tell theguys to step on it right. And
that's where that similarity is between thefield first responders and the dispatchers. Is
that mental toll, you know,the PTSD, I mean dispatcher's experience it
just like a field person because youexperience things in the way you experience them.
And if it's over the phone andthat's your method of experience in the
incident, I mean, it's stillgoing to have the impact on you even
(21:53):
if even if you weren't there actuallylooking at it. So that's something that
is really big with me too,as you know, is just the mental
health of our first responders and ourmilitary service members. Absolutely no, but
that's great. I mean, thankyou so much for pointing that out to
the anyway to get back to theto Dan's vision and what we've executed is
(22:15):
is you know, is to puttheir first responders from from the Midlands and
beyond. We've now stretched beyond tocover most of the state at this point.
But their names go on the wallforever, put on that wall so
we don't forget. We we alwaysremember, and we read the names.
And I'm once again, I'm veryhonored to serve every year since we've opened
this thing as the as the Master'sCeremonies, and it is it is my
(22:36):
biggest honor to be honest with you, every year, but we read the
names one by one of every singleofficer, fireman, soldier that has died
from South Carolina from the Midlands specificallysince that day, and you know,
unfortunately this year we're up to sixtyone at this point. Actually this year's
ceremony, we're going to be addingadditional names to the to the Wall of
(23:02):
Remembrance and to the memorial. Andwe're actually James Mueller from Remote Fire Department,
specialist Jason R. Haven from SouthCarolina Army National Guard who lost his
wife in Kuwait, Officer Tyron Owensof Columbia p D Police Department, and
then Lieutenant Michael Wood of Newberry CityPolice Department. We are actually going to
be placing them on the memorial atthe ceremony on Monday. And like you
(23:26):
said, you read the names,and I had someone pay you a compliment
yesterday while we were doing the rehearsalfor the ceremony with the honor Guard,
and they said, you know,I gotta tell you, Tyler, Ryan
does an exceptional job pronouncing everyone's nameexactly right, because it's the honor.
I mean, what's the name?Is the only thing you're you know that
is yours, you know, andthat you keep throughout your entire life,
(23:47):
and it's so critical that's done correctlyand it's done right. The way it's
supposed to be done, and hewas paying you a compliment that you do
it right every year, and sowe appreciate that anyone else could do it
means a lot. David speaking withretired Major Army Major David Kerr here from
the nine to eleven Foundation. TheSouth Carolina Remembrance Foundation, I think is
the official title of the group.But in the years that have followed and
(24:11):
we've added names, and we've actuallyadded to the memorial. You know,
we added a few years ago weput the service dogs, you know,
from from military and police service dogs. There have been several that have died
in the line of duty, andI mean they're their officers too, you
know, their first responders. Theymay have four legs and very furry,
but they are nonetheless heroes and officers. And the bust of the dog that's
(24:33):
there is Fargo from Marchland County PoliceSheriff's Department, and of course he lost
his likes in the line of duty, so that was the dog. The
likeness on the memorial is Fargo,right, So that's that's really right there
in the Midlands, right there inthe county where the memorial sits. But
it does honor. Like you said, Tyler, all the military working dogs
(24:56):
that I'm sorry, military and lawenforcement working dogs that are out there.
They are also working dogs in thefire service that do a lot of arson
investigations, search and rescue dogs.So it really serves any dog that has
served the community, serve humans basicallyand kept them safe. Now, the
and I want to point out,we're going to run short on time real
(25:18):
quick, as we always do.Beyond this, we always do beyond this
ceremony. Of course, the Foundationdoes things year around education. You know,
education is a big mission because youknow it's twenty two years. It
means there's there's guys, guys andgirls who are you know, buying cold
beer and serving our country right nowthat weren't even alive when the attacks happened.
So we're it behooves us to continueto educate. You know, I
(25:41):
wasn't around Pearl Harbor, but Iknow what happened. I know it happened.
I wasn't there then, you know, So the education is so important
for those who just weren't alive yet. It's crazy to think that, but
that's the case. Right go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. I
was going to say the other.The other thing, of course, and
we just had it this past acouple of days ago was the Tunnel to
Towers run in Columbia and this,you know, the Stephen Stellar Foundation.
(26:04):
That's another event that's very big andvery well attended that we do every year,
you know, coinciding with nine toeleven. Right, So the fourth
four fillers of our foundation, I'mnot going to go deep into them,
but I've just let you know.One is we'll never forget. It's remembrance,
okay, and that's our ceremony.It's five or one c three partnerships
that are like minded, so thatwould be the organizations like the Tunnels to
(26:26):
Towers. But we also honor ourHero's Children scholarship and we started with two
thousand dollars scholarship, two two thousanddollars scholarships, and this year we gave
four two thousand dollars scholarships to childrenof first responders and military service members in
the Midlands. That is one programthat we have expanded statewide. So that
(26:48):
is something I definitely want your listenersto know that every year we offer these
scholarships and we're just going to continueto increase it. And then of course
we do community outreaching grants for firstresponders in need. So that's our organization
as a whole. Uh. Theceremony is Monday morning. Music will start
at zero eight hundred hours, youknow, good military time, and then
(27:10):
the yeah and then the that's wheremusic starts, and it's just the Army
band. Two forty second Army bandwill be there and then and then what
we do is we roll into theceremony starting at zero eight forty in the
morning. Right then there, that'sthat's right, that's right. So some
(27:30):
of our speakers this year Kevin Schwado, the executive director of the of the
Department of Motor Vehicles. He's aretired UH colonel, Army colonel out of
Fort Jackson. And then we alsohave the Governor who will be there to
speak. Like you said about theS sixteen flyovers, we added that for
the twentieth anniversary in nine to elevenand we've been able to do it every
(27:52):
year since. So we'll have twoS sixteen's flying over. And in this
year, like I said, wehave four fallen being dedicated on the memorial.
So each of their chiefs, GeneralMcCarty, Chief Skip Hobro Chief Kevin
Goodman from Newberry and Chief Michael Snefeldwill all talk about their honoring the person
we're honoring and adding to a wall. And then we lay a wreath with
(28:15):
the family members of the fallen andthat's that's really the ceremony, and that's
that's really Unfortunately, right after thewreath, we do taps, and that's
that's really really a heartfelt moment ofthe ceremony and you can really tell the
impact at that part of the ceremony. So that's that starts at the Columbia
(28:36):
Metropolitan Convention Center down it's on LincolnStreet in Columbia. I would like every
you know, strongly encourage everyone youknow who has has a stake in it
or just you know, is appreciativethat there are brave men and women that
that will defend us every single day. I think it's important that we take
an hour and a half of yourtime and uh check it out. David
(28:57):
Kurr, I appreciate you once again. I appreciate your service at the country,
that you're continued service to all theservice members you know you're serving them
now. We really appreciate your leadershipin this and joining us this morning,
and thank you Tyler, thank youfor your partnership. The one thing about
Tyler that we always say is,you know, during the year, we
may not talk to Tyler a wholelot, but when we get to this
(29:18):
ceremony, Tyler is always there forus, and he's always there to support
and you know, you nail itevery year. So we appreciate your support
and thank you. It is trulymy greatest honor. Guys, this has
been Carolina Carris and iHeartRadio production onthe South Carolina Radio Network. Once again.
My name is Tyler Ryan. Thankyou so much for joining us week
after week for the fastest thirty minutesin radio. And it's been thirty minutes,
(29:41):
which means it's time for me tosay that I will speak with you
in seven days
Good morning, and welcome to CarolinaCares and iHeartRadio production here on the South
Carolina Radio Network. Herd across thisfantastic state from Horse Country over Anaking the
low Country, out towards the Beats, the Grand strand, the Upstate,
and of course right here in themidlands of South Carolina, where we happen
to find the flagship station for CarolinaCares w VOCAM and FM and Columbia.
(00:22):
My name is Tyler Ryan, yourhost. Thank you so much for joining
us as as you do week afterweek for the program. It means a
lot your input, the emails weget, the social media contacts and communications.
You know. Actively. Part ofthe show is always if there's a
topic you want to hear a discussingCarolina Cares or maybe you think you'd make
a darn fine guest, you canemail me Tyler at Carolina Cares Radio dot
(00:44):
com. It's Tyler at Carolina CaresRadio dot com. We always invite you
to join the Facebook. If youhaven't yet, just look up Carolina Cares
Radio. It's kind of a themewe have going on. You find that
we put up links to the shows, all kinds of fun stuff and also
if you. If you haven't yet, you can always listen to the show
again and again, because after itairs well, we do put it on
that podcast. You can get itoff the iHeartRadio app. And if you
(01:07):
don't have that app, simple toget go to your store, your play
store, app store, look upiHeartRadio. You download that, and then
you put in yeah, you guessedit, Carolina Cares Radio. And not
only this episode from today, butthe hundreds and I mean hundreds of other
episodes that we have created through thelast many years of doing the show.
It means a lot. You know, you guys. By all accounts,
(01:29):
it was a fairly non to scriptTuesday morning around the country twenty two years
ago. I mean, I startedall kind of cool. On the East
Coast. It's beginning to be fall, right. It was bright and sunny,
ultimately reaching eighty one degrees in NewYork, eighty three in DC,
and even in Pennsylvania an unseasonable seventysix degrees. Unfortunately, the eventual delightfully
warm weather was the last thing onanyone's mind on the East Coast and frankly
(01:53):
around the world, because by theend of that Tuesday, September eleventh,
two thousand and one, there wouldbe nearly three thousand less people in the
world, nearly three thousand less mothers, fathers, sons, daughters who had
enjoyed their last breakfast with a family, and three thousand families who had given
that last kiss to their loved one. Now, the events of that day
(02:15):
are forever seared into our brains.The images of a plane crash into an
empty field, the Pentagon on fire, and the skyline of New York changed
forever with the lack of a pairof two thousand foot towers that had stood
as a symbol to the ability andgreatness of this country for thirty years.
It was a lot more than askyline, though, that was lost that
(02:36):
day, More than three thousand souls. It was our collective innocence, our
complacency, our belief that maybe,just maybe there really weren't wicked people in
the world, cowards, evil actorsthat would execute three thousand people in this
country over the course of a coupleof hours. Now, in the days
that followed, we search for survivors, we search for answers, and we
(03:00):
felt ourselves dying a little inside.Every single day. Over the next twenty
two years, we went to warsought some vindication, vindication I suppose,
and ultimately made to look foolish toa degree on the international stage. Yeah,
that's neither here nor there for today'sconversation. The topic today are the
(03:20):
heroes, the heroes that died thatmorning trying to save everyone in anyone from
a pair of towers that would ultimatelycollapse on them, and of course the
brave men and women that have paidthe ultimate sacrifice serving country and community since
that morning. Now across the country, there have been many memorials built to
ensure that we honor and never forgetthese souls that were and continue to be
(03:44):
ripped from our lives, and Columbiais no different. In September of two
eleven, a small group of communitymembers joined forces and set out to build
a memorial many thought wouldn't come topass because of what the plan was.
A pair of twenty five foot granitetowers bearing the names of every first responder
that has died in the line ofduty since that day, along with a
(04:05):
pair of twisted steel beams that wereonce part of the structure known as Tower
One in New York City. Well, the reality is that memorial did come
to pass. It is there,and it's the home of a very important
ceremony every September eleventh, to SouthCarolina Rememberance Foundation pays honor to our heroes,
(04:26):
those who gave all, and thosewho are willing to take that last
call, to run that last fireor patrol that last wall. Joining this
morning from the nine eleventh Foundation herein South Carolina, retired Major David Kerr,
Major, Good morning, Good morning, Thank you so much for doing
(04:46):
this, Tyler, and just raisingthe awareness of our foundation and our event
that we've done, you know,for over a decade since since the inception
of the memorial, So we reallyappreciate this opportunity absolutely. It just there's
no way arounds that the fact thatwe're going to take time to do that
this morning. First, I wantto thank you for your service you retired
(05:09):
Major, twenty two years of servicein the Army. Thank you for doing
not only what you continue to doserving community, but but serving this country.
We're better for it. Thank you, and you know every you know
when here in South Carolina. I'mfrom Maryland originally and here in South Carolina,
and one of the reasons why Iwanted to move down here is because
(05:30):
the community of South Carolina in theSouth in general, really understands the meaning
of the words service. They reallyappreciate they're the sacrifice of their first responders
and their military service members. It'sone of those things that you know,
a lot of times, military servicemembers and first responders, you know,
they're the quiet professionals. No onedoes it for the notoriety, and no
(05:55):
one does it to be thanked.A matter of fact, at times,
it can be a little embarrassing,you know, in public and your someplace
and someone thanks you for your service, and you feel like, why are
you thanking me. It's my duty, it's my responsibility. That's that's what
I was born to do. Andbut you know what, in the deep
heart of first responders and military servicemembers, we truly appreciate it. And
(06:18):
in South Carolina in particular, inthe Midlands of South Carolina, I can
truly say, and I've been inall over the world, is one of
the most military friendly communities that I'veever been in, that I've ever served
in. So I just want tothank South Carolina and in particular Midlands for
(06:39):
taking care of your soldiers, yourservice members, your first responders. It
really makes doing what I did andwhat they currently do possible. Yeah,
and I agree, and listeners know, you know, I've been a police
officer for more years than I careto admit on the radio as well,
(06:59):
and I concur it's you know,it's not you're at my my drive to
serve. You know, it wasfull time for many years, part time.
Still it wasn't it certainly wasn't themoney, my goodness, not in
Vermont for sure. And uh,and not the glory. You know,
there's men and women who do that, who have done it. It's a
it's it takes something special to youknow, do that every day, put
(07:23):
put on a uniform. You know, the sacrifice. And and it's not
even just the sacrifice of of yourlife potentially. I mean, when you
serve, it's you're making sacrifices tohaving a regular family. You're making sacrifices.
You know, you've got to getdeployed, you're gone for a year.
You're making that sacrifice. Hey,honey, I'll see in a year.
I mean that's that and alone isan incredible sacrifice. Yeah. In
(07:46):
my in my situation, when myson was born in two thousand, immediately
following I had twenty eight days withhim, and then I left to become
an officer, to become an armyofficer, So I went to school,
did that, and then in theup going to Korea for thirteen months as
a platoon leader. That was myfirst assignment. So really my son's first
five years of his life. Iwas with them about two wow. And
(08:09):
that's a kind of sacrifice. Alot of military service members go through with
the separation, and first responders thoughthey don't go through that long term separation.
You know, it's those rotating shifts. It's all the birthdays where they're
working on a weekend, you know, and they can't be there for a
birthday party, or they can't bethere for a you know, a baptism
(08:30):
or whatever, just a family eventthat you know, a lot of people
who don't serve in those capacities justdon't understand that piece of the sacrifice and
the toll over twenty twenty five thirtyyear career it can have. Yeah.
Yeah, Christmas is you know,I mean I remember, you know,
when I was working, I Iwas you know, single, I had
no family. I would always voluntehere to work Christmas Day because you know,
(08:52):
I knew I do my guys.My partner, you know, he
had a family, and so I'mlike, I get nothing else to do
today, I'll work the shift,you know. And yeah, and I
did the same thing as the companycommander and a stomb leader. It's like,
you know, it's it's like Ididn't always work the road every day
as a military police officer, buton holidays and uh, in special events
for my guys, I'd come inand work a shift, you know,
(09:15):
just so they could go home andbe with their family. And that's just
what it's all about. And that'sand that and that just says something about
all the way up the chain,I mean, up to deputy chiefs and
everything, especially in small departments.Even even when you make to that chief
level or that deputy chief or whatever, you're still sacrificing for your guys,
your team, you're you're you know, and their families. Right. So
(09:35):
it's really just the life, alife of service, and yeah it is
and and ultimately all too many times, sixty one times here in the Midlands
alone since two thousand and one,that that sacrifice goes way beyond a Christmas
Day or a birthday party, right, you know what, when when not
eleven happens. You know, everybody, everybody has their story. You know,
(09:58):
here's he you know, here's whereI was, and it's it's going
to be. It's it's indelible.I mean it died. I can tell
I was. I was in acourtroom testifying the drug case. And I
never I looked out. I lookedout the courtroom door and we have you
know, court security, and hisname is Dave Brault, and he looked
in. He looked into the glassand he started shaking his head. And
I was like, you know,So I got off the stand and I'm
(10:18):
like, dude, what's up?And he goes where at war? Those
are his He goes where at war? And I said, what are you
talking about? Because I was,you know, I had been in a
courtroom and uh right, and Ijust unbelievable. Nip my yeah, my
story. I was actually on thed militari zone. We were doing maneuvers.
They call it a company XE val, so you're doing all your combat
(10:39):
skills training with your platoon and inour case, it was a company.
So we had been out doing uhnight react to sniper operations and we had
uh we'd come in about eleven PM. Into the rain control our bivouack where
(11:01):
we were staying, and they calledall the all the platoon leaders and company
commander and senior noncommissioned officers together inrange control. And I walked in the
room and that's when we saw thesecond plane hit. So I actually had
a guy in my platoon his hehad a family member who worked in Tower
one. And so so imagine thattrying to tell your go back out of
(11:24):
the range control control and go tellyour soldier who came from New York City
and has a family member that worksthere. You know, this is what's
going on. Fortunately they were notat work that day. Wow. So
but but but it took a longtime for him to find that out,
right, yep. But I stillcan recall and and you know, the
(11:45):
older you get, the less youyou you remember things. I mean,
I hate to say that, butthat is one thing I can still visualize
from you know, twenty twenty twoyears ago. I mean I can still
see it like it was yesterday.There was there was such a change,
you know, and it impacted everybodydifferently. But there was such a change
instantly in the way we looked atthe world, looked at everything, I
(12:07):
mean, maybe we lived in aglass house. Maybe we figured, you
know, nobody nobody would ever,you know, ever do that. We've
had we had domestic terrorism, youknow, we had somebody had bombed the
the World Trace Center if you recalledbefore Timothy McVeigh and I think in Oklahoma
there was there was a bombing.So there had been some Oklahoma City,
yeah, Oklahoma City, but justnothing on that scale. I don't know
(12:28):
if i'm and I'm sure, I'msure there was military military intelligence what it
is. You know, I'm surethat somebody must have figured at some point,
But I can say that I neverreally worried about it. I never
thought about something like that, right, And to bring it back to the
first responders, how do you preparefor something like that? The recovery operation
(12:48):
and the response operation in New YorkCity for nine to eleven was absolutely the
largest response, search and rescue ofits kind in the history of the United
States. So how do you prepareall those first first responders to go in
there and handle something that military hastrained for. You know, you're trained
to go into combat, you're trainingto go deal with terrorists and deal with
(13:11):
those situations. Especially in my priorcareer fields, But how do you prepare
an EMT or paramedic to understand whatthat's going to be like. So imagine
that indelible impact that that has onthose personnel who were there at ground zero
for the weeks that followed that event. Yeah, I just and it still
(13:33):
blows my mind just just to thinkabout that. And the fact that it's
been twenty two years is also we'regetting old, major, we're getting old.
Yeah, that you know, that'sfor sure. So yeah, you
know, obviously, as I mentionedin the in the open, around the
country, there have been, asthere should be, memorials in many many
communities, some large, some small, you know, all to to those
(13:56):
Americans. You know. Yeah,yes it was New York City, Yes
it was DC. Yes it wasa field in Pennsylvania. But every single
one of us was in every singleone of our communities, every single one
of our backyards. And that's that'sa scary. Part two is especially rid
after but even to this day,you never know when it can happen again.
Rights, it's yeah, righting,and you know if if and that's
(14:18):
part of our foundation and what wedo. It's like we understand that that
was a dark time in the historyof the United States, but what it's
done to make us stronger as aas a country, but also in the
response community. You know, nowthat we've had that one life changing event,
you know, it's very important thatwe remember what came out of it
(14:39):
and then move forward in a positiveway. And that's what our foundation is
all about, is we want toremember, but we don't want to dwell.
We don't want to look at andremember the bad aspects of it.
You know, you want to nowswitch to the positive mindset and what have
we done and how have we improvedour response capabilities? Our intelligence networks are
military in order to help prevent thatfrom ever happening again. And so our
(15:03):
memorial when we when we do theevent every year, we try to give
a little bit of history. Wedo the bells ring when each the ceremony
actually follows the timeline of the firstattack all the way through to the last
last attack and throughout the program,we have a bell that's rung and what
(15:26):
that bell signifies is that strike ofthat aircraft and then we have a moment
of silence afterward after a short narrationto just remind people, you know,
the timeline and how it happened allover that two hour period, and it
really makes people realize, Man,what we all must have been thinking back
then after that first and then thatsecond, and then that third and then
(15:48):
that fourth, sitting there wondering whatwas there going to be a fifth and
sixth? Right, So, Imean it's it's really an impactful ceremony from
that regard, and it's all abouteducation, remembering and moving forward. Speaking
this morning with retired Major David Kerrfrom the South Carolina Rememberance Foundation, part
of the big memorial that we haveand and and in full disclosure, I
(16:10):
want to talk about the memorial infull disclosure, it was originally it was
the the vision of Dan Hannigan,who is the founder of this foundation.
Folks who know Dan know Dan,but Dan is Dan is one of those
bulldogs that he's He's from New York, he's down here in the South and
he does not care if you getout, how are you doing? If
(16:32):
you give him a mission, andhe's going to get it done. You
know, we want to fly inF sixteen over downtown Columbia, but we
can't do that. Get the Presidenton the phone, We'll get it done.
I mean, that's that's Dankole knockingthe White House door. But I'll
never forget when he approached me inI don't know, two thy ten,
I guess with the idea. Isaw him. I saw him like in
Loews and he said, you know, are you doing. I'm like,
(16:52):
you know, all right, Dan, I think we'd we had met somewhere
before something, you know, Andyou know, he knew I was a
first responder. I knew his background. He's also of than the military and
whatnot, and he wanted me tocome to a meeting the next morning.
I like, I hop in Lexington. I'm like, God, all right.
And that's where he laid out thisplan to create this this memorial that
would ultimately become this memorial. Andit was like, man, that's that's
(17:15):
a heavy lift. I mean hisvision two twenty five foot granite towers,
big big fat granite towers, beamsthat that the group had had been gifted
from, uh, you know,from the memorial or whatever, from the
I guess the Museum of the Archivesup there from from Tower one, you
know, and it put these namesof these these first responders and military members
(17:36):
from the Midlands on these walls itwas to be. I'm so proud of
it, a part of it fromthe beginning, but it was incredible to
watch the community come together over thecourse of was it eleven ten months,
eleven months whatever it took us tobuild that thing, right, Yeah,
And and it involved first responders,the the the beams actually went to different
(17:56):
departments around the state from people tospend some time and pay their respects with
them. So, I mean,it was really a big, big deal,
and it was something that really hadn'tbeen done down here to kind of
make that link in that tie backto New York City in the nine to
eleven you know, Whiteknell High Schoolhad actually previously they had donated a ladder
(18:17):
truck there, so they had raisedall the money necessary. And Dan actually
took a bunch of the White KnellHigh School students, some of which or
first responders now are in the military, and took him up there and they
went up to the station where wherethe tower was going to be stationed.
And uh, and it was justthat connection and that link to New York
(18:40):
City is is He's really brought thathere, right and we have that connection.
Curt me if I'm wrong. Therewas a there was another connection with
a fire. Didn't New York Citydo something for us at one point too?
Yes, but I was afraid youwere going to ask me that because
I don't know what year it was, but it was long before I think
Tyler and David. But there wasan incident and New York City had supported
(19:03):
down in South Carolina at one pointin the history of South Carolina. I
don't remember the details of it,but yes, that that did a Corralso
so there's always been a link,right, And that's I'd find that interesting
that there's been that randomly, youknow, from from Lexington to to New
York City, you know, fromSouth Carolina. Really, you know,
I mean this moral is is ismore than the Midlands for sure. I
(19:23):
mean it's it's uh, it's SouthCarolina and beyond for this thing. But
over the years, you know,unfortunately that the vision, you know,
Dan's vision, was too every yearto have this, have this ceremony that
we have coming up on Monday,and we read the names of every fallen
first responder and I say first responderit's for sake of argument, it's it's
(19:44):
fire, ems, police and ofcourse military. So I you know,
some folks say first responder, Doyou think I mean police? I mean
I mean somebody who puts on auniform and serves well, and you know
me. You know me, andwe've known each other a long time,
you know, associated with this ordanization. And one thing that I always try
to whenever we talk about first responders, there's one group and we don't have
(20:06):
fortunately they're not in the line offire like a lot of first responders,
but the nine one one dispatchers andcall takers that really are the first first
responders. You know, no resourcecan roll, no resource can get to
the scene of an emergency and helpthe citizens without that nine one one dispatcher
there to take the information properly andget it to the resource it's necessary.
(20:29):
So I always include them. Fortunately, I don't know they we'll ever have
one on the wall, but Ialways like to remember them. Yeah,
you know, I'm glad you mentionedthat. But and think about that too.
I mean not only dispatchers, likelike anyone who goes out in patrols,
jumps in a fire truck, orwalks a wall. You know,
they do it for service, becausedispatchers don't get paid, you know,
any more than the police. Doright, but so you know they've got
(20:52):
that service in them too. I'veI've never I've never done dispatch, but
I would me personally, I knowme, I would find it incredibly make
me feel incredibly helpless to be onthe other end of the phone and yes,
you're doing something, Yes you're sendingthe police, you're sending the fire.
I get you know you're doing something, but I would find it really
(21:12):
frustrating to have to listen to somethingplay out on the phone, because you
know what happens. You could youcall, you're in a fight, you're
in a domestic or a shooting orwhatever. Your house is on fire.
You know there's a matter of timebefore somebody can get there to help.
And you've got to be as adispatcher, the one who's listening to the
sheer terror, the the medical emergencythat's happening, and you can't do a
(21:32):
darn thing about it except tell theguys to step on it right. And
that's where that similarity is between thefield first responders and the dispatchers. Is
that mental toll, you know,the PTSD, I mean dispatcher's experience it
just like a field person because youexperience things in the way you experience them.
And if it's over the phone andthat's your method of experience in the
incident, I mean, it's stillgoing to have the impact on you even
(21:53):
if even if you weren't there actuallylooking at it. So that's something that
is really big with me too,as you know, is just the mental
health of our first responders and ourmilitary service members. Absolutely no, but
that's great. I mean, thankyou so much for pointing that out to
the anyway to get back to theto Dan's vision and what we've executed is
(22:15):
is you know, is to puttheir first responders from from the Midlands and
beyond. We've now stretched beyond tocover most of the state at this point.
But their names go on the wallforever, put on that wall so
we don't forget. We we alwaysremember, and we read the names.
And I'm once again, I'm veryhonored to serve every year since we've opened
this thing as the as the Master'sCeremonies, and it is it is my
(22:36):
biggest honor to be honest with you, every year, but we read the
names one by one of every singleofficer, fireman, soldier that has died
from South Carolina from the Midlands specificallysince that day, and you know,
unfortunately this year we're up to sixtyone at this point. Actually this year's
ceremony, we're going to be addingadditional names to the to the Wall of
(23:02):
Remembrance and to the memorial. Andwe're actually James Mueller from Remote Fire Department,
specialist Jason R. Haven from SouthCarolina Army National Guard who lost his
wife in Kuwait, Officer Tyron Owensof Columbia p D Police Department, and
then Lieutenant Michael Wood of Newberry CityPolice Department. We are actually going to
be placing them on the memorial atthe ceremony on Monday. And like you
(23:26):
said, you read the names,and I had someone pay you a compliment
yesterday while we were doing the rehearsalfor the ceremony with the honor Guard,
and they said, you know,I gotta tell you, Tyler, Ryan
does an exceptional job pronouncing everyone's nameexactly right, because it's the honor.
I mean, what's the name?Is the only thing you're you know that
is yours, you know, andthat you keep throughout your entire life,
(23:47):
and it's so critical that's done correctlyand it's done right. The way it's
supposed to be done, and hewas paying you a compliment that you do
it right every year, and sowe appreciate that anyone else could do it
means a lot. David speaking withretired Major Army Major David Kerr here from
the nine to eleven Foundation. TheSouth Carolina Remembrance Foundation, I think is
the official title of the group.But in the years that have followed and
(24:11):
we've added names, and we've actuallyadded to the memorial. You know,
we added a few years ago weput the service dogs, you know,
from from military and police service dogs. There have been several that have died
in the line of duty, andI mean they're their officers too, you
know, their first responders. Theymay have four legs and very furry,
but they are nonetheless heroes and officers. And the bust of the dog that's
(24:33):
there is Fargo from Marchland County PoliceSheriff's Department, and of course he lost
his likes in the line of duty, so that was the dog. The
likeness on the memorial is Fargo,right, So that's that's really right there
in the Midlands, right there inthe county where the memorial sits. But
it does honor. Like you said, Tyler, all the military working dogs
(24:56):
that I'm sorry, military and lawenforcement working dogs that are out there.
They are also working dogs in thefire service that do a lot of arson
investigations, search and rescue dogs.So it really serves any dog that has
served the community, serve humans basicallyand kept them safe. Now, the
and I want to point out,we're going to run short on time real
(25:18):
quick, as we always do.Beyond this, we always do beyond this
ceremony. Of course, the Foundationdoes things year around education. You know,
education is a big mission because youknow it's twenty two years. It
means there's there's guys, guys andgirls who are you know, buying cold
beer and serving our country right nowthat weren't even alive when the attacks happened.
So we're it behooves us to continueto educate. You know, I
(25:41):
wasn't around Pearl Harbor, but Iknow what happened. I know it happened.
I wasn't there then, you know, So the education is so important
for those who just weren't alive yet. It's crazy to think that, but
that's the case. Right go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. I
was going to say the other.The other thing, of course, and
we just had it this past acouple of days ago was the Tunnel to
Towers run in Columbia and this,you know, the Stephen Stellar Foundation.
(26:04):
That's another event that's very big andvery well attended that we do every year,
you know, coinciding with nine toeleven. Right, So the fourth
four fillers of our foundation, I'mnot going to go deep into them,
but I've just let you know.One is we'll never forget. It's remembrance,
okay, and that's our ceremony.It's five or one c three partnerships
that are like minded, so thatwould be the organizations like the Tunnels to
(26:26):
Towers. But we also honor ourHero's Children scholarship and we started with two
thousand dollars scholarship, two two thousanddollars scholarships, and this year we gave
four two thousand dollars scholarships to childrenof first responders and military service members in
the Midlands. That is one programthat we have expanded statewide. So that
(26:48):
is something I definitely want your listenersto know that every year we offer these
scholarships and we're just going to continueto increase it. And then of course
we do community outreaching grants for firstresponders in need. So that's our organization
as a whole. Uh. Theceremony is Monday morning. Music will start
at zero eight hundred hours, youknow, good military time, and then
(27:10):
the yeah and then the that's wheremusic starts, and it's just the Army
band. Two forty second Army bandwill be there and then and then what
we do is we roll into theceremony starting at zero eight forty in the
morning. Right then there, that'sthat's right, that's right. So some
(27:30):
of our speakers this year Kevin Schwado, the executive director of the of the
Department of Motor Vehicles. He's aretired UH colonel, Army colonel out of
Fort Jackson. And then we alsohave the Governor who will be there to
speak. Like you said about theS sixteen flyovers, we added that for
the twentieth anniversary in nine to elevenand we've been able to do it every
(27:52):
year since. So we'll have twoS sixteen's flying over. And in this
year, like I said, wehave four fallen being dedicated on the memorial.
So each of their chiefs, GeneralMcCarty, Chief Skip Hobro Chief Kevin
Goodman from Newberry and Chief Michael Snefeldwill all talk about their honoring the person
we're honoring and adding to a wall. And then we lay a wreath with
(28:15):
the family members of the fallen andthat's that's really the ceremony, and that's
that's really Unfortunately, right after thewreath, we do taps, and that's
that's really really a heartfelt moment ofthe ceremony and you can really tell the
impact at that part of the ceremony. So that's that starts at the Columbia
(28:36):
Metropolitan Convention Center down it's on LincolnStreet in Columbia. I would like every
you know, strongly encourage everyone youknow who has has a stake in it
or just you know, is appreciativethat there are brave men and women that
that will defend us every single day. I think it's important that we take
an hour and a half of yourtime and uh check it out. David
(28:57):
Kurr, I appreciate you once again. I appreciate your service at the country,
that you're continued service to all theservice members you know you're serving them
now. We really appreciate your leadershipin this and joining us this morning,
and thank you Tyler, thank youfor your partnership. The one thing about
Tyler that we always say is,you know, during the year, we
may not talk to Tyler a wholelot, but when we get to this
(29:18):
ceremony, Tyler is always there forus, and he's always there to support
and you know, you nail itevery year. So we appreciate your support
and thank you. It is trulymy greatest honor. Guys, this has
been Carolina Carris and iHeartRadio production onthe South Carolina Radio Network. Once again.
My name is Tyler Ryan. Thankyou so much for joining us week
after week for the fastest thirty minutesin radio. And it's been thirty minutes,
(29:41):
which means it's time for me tosay that I will speak with you
in seven days
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!