IU honors public servants

IU’s official Sept. 11, 2001 remembrance event produced tears from start to finish Sunday at the IU Auditorium.

“All of us know the story,” President Michael McRobbie said to open his remarks.
He said his summary of what happened wouldn’t do the day justice.

“No words can fully convey that devastation,” he said.

McRobbie also expressed gratitude for the IU faculty, staff and students who serve in the military or are in law enforcement.

“They are among those heroes we gathered today to honor,” he said.

The event also featured several speakers and performances by the Jacobs School of Music. At the end of the event, the Jacobs performers and crowd joined together to sign “Amazing Grace.”

At least two in attendance said Sept. 11 played a big part in why they enlisted in the armed forces.

“It’s good to reflect and say that we’re not invulnerable as a nation. There’s still problems we need to work out,” said junior David Currey, a U. S. Marine.

Krista Dora, a senior in the U. S. Army, said it’s important to remember service members.

“Those are people who risk their lives,” Dora said. “It’s the least we can do to remember them.”

Heidi Mitchell, a sophomore attending the program for a class project, lived just south of Washington, D.C. 10 years ago when she was in fourth grade.

Her father, a serviceman, worked in the Pentagon. She said knew her father was fine that day, though, because her parents were with her brother.

He was scheduled to have surgery, but all surgeries and appointments were canceled to make room for expected burn victims, Mitchell said.

Other speakers included Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan and Kevin Bush, a junior on the football team who is an Army veteran and served in Korea and Iraq.

Bob Loviscek, president of the Bloomington Metropolitan Professional Firefighters Local 586, also spoke. He traveled to New York City a few months ago to pick up a beam from the debris in the hopes of creating a memorial in Bloomington.

“Our nation saw evil that day, the worst of human nature,” Loviscek said.