Local victim killed in terrorist attacks remembered on 9/11

With prayer and song, people gathered at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Palm Springs Thursday morning to honor those who died in the September 11 attacks.

The community lit candles to remember the only Coachella Valley victim from the attack on America, Barbara Keating, a parishoner at St. Theresa’s.

Returning to the desert from her annual summer visit to Massachusetts, Keating boarded American Flight 11 in Boston. It was the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center 13 years ago.

Congressman Raul Ruiz released the following statement in reflection of the attacks against our nation:

“As we reflect on the attacks of September 11, 2001, we relive a moment of pain in each of our lives and for our Nation. On this day, my thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those killed, the heroic first responders who bravely and selflessly ran towards danger, and the men and women of our Armed Forces who answered the call to protect our Nation and way of life. Today, thirteen years later, we remember the fallen, we honor the courage of our American heroes, and we recommit as a Nation to never forget and continue our fight for justice and freedom.”

The City of La Quinta is hosting a 9/11 memorial candlelight vigil Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Center Campus. City officials said the vigil is centered at the Coachella Valley’s only authentic structural piece of the World Trade Center, which was recovered from ground zero.

Anyone interested in attending the vigil is asked to bring their own folding chairs and candles. Mayor Don Adolph will conduct the ceremony and members of the local police and fire departments will speak.

This year’s commemoration will also feature music from the La Quinta High School Wind Symphony, under the direction of Mike Fleischmann. According to the release, the ensemble will appear at Carnegie Hall in March 2015, and has begun fundraising for the trip. Community members are invited to donate to the cause.

Officials said the vision for a 9/11 memorial in La Quinta was the brainchild of Eagle Scout Andrew Davis. Early financial and design support was provided by Robert Radi, and the project was taken on by the La Quinta Community Services department and its Art in Public Places program.

The first annual candlelight vigil held at the site took place in 2011, the 10 year anniversary of the attack.

The sculpture, along with the World Trade Center beam it supports, was dedicated in January 2012.