Andrea Doherty has been living in Lansing for about ten years, but she lived in New York City on September 11th, 2001.
"You never get over it," Doherty explains, "and I don't think people should ever get over it and it should never be whitewashed and we should tell our children what happened."
That's why Lansing's September 11th memorial service each year means so much to her.
"It's beautiful," Doherty smiles. "And it makes me proud to be a New Yorker, and it makes me proud to be living in Lansing now."
The service and the monument at Wentworth Park are reminders to mid-Michigan's first responders.
"It means to me of what the real purpose of humanity is," says Lansing emergency management division chief Mike Tobin, "that we're not here for us, we're here for our fellow man, we're here to serve each other. And it brings me back home and it brings me that reminder of why I do this and why I put that uniform on every day and why I enjoy the job I do."
That's why Lansing mayor Virg Bernero tells me that on his watch, the service won't be going anywhere anytime soon:
"We take it very seriously, the community does, you know the fire service, our first responders, and the community does. It was one of those events that cannot be forgotten and will not be forgotten."
The service commemorates those lost, including those from Michigan, and also the first responders who went to help.
"People from all over came to help New Yorkers, and I'll never forget that," says Doherty with a smile.
And to her, hopefully no one ever will forget that.
