Jonesboro, Ark. — The Jonesboro community came together on Thursday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, sharing stories and honoring those who lost their lives in the tragedy, including three Arkansans.
The remembrance event was held at the Embassy Suites, where first responders and city leaders gathered to reflect on the events of 9/11 and their lasting impact.
Among the speakers was Captain Anthony Roberts, who shared his personal memories of the day the attacks unfolded. “I saw the scroll on TV and it said a plane just hit, so I went to go find my coworkers and told them that it took place,” Roberts recalled. “I went to admin to make sure they were aware of everything, and they were, so I watched the second plane hit.”
Captain Jason Olson, another speaker at the event, reflected on how he first learned about the attacks. “My mom said turn on the TV and I turned it on. I was a 20-year-old kid, I was a college kid,” Olson said.
The community also took a moment to honor the three Arkansans who lost their lives in the attacks.
Nehamon Lyons IV, an operations specialist second class in the United States Navy, was at the Pentagon when it was struck. Melissa White, employed in the human resources department of the World Trade Center, also perished that day. Sara Low, a flight attendant for American Airlines, was aboard Flight 11, the plane that struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
The event served as both a solemn reminder and a tribute to the resilience of those affected by the tragedy, which continues to shape the lives of many Americans 25 years later.