STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903
75cI
VOLUME 118
Issue 38
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
Brighton remembers 9/11 and the victims BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Brighton’s first responders gathered in the parking lot of City Hall on Sept. 11 in a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York. ‘You might not get home’ Brighton Fire Rescue Lt. Chris Elliott said there are a few times in a first responder’s career when they get the distinct feeling “you might not get home,” as was the case for the firefighters to responded to the World Trade Center. “They had that feeling as they went forth into that doomed building,” Elliott said. “They overlooked their own safety.” As has been the case almost every anniversary since, the phrase “We Will Never forget” is commonplace. Elliott asked the crowd to think about that phrase as it pertained to the victims, including the families of the 1,600 parents who never came home. “What do you think that phrase means to firefighter Kevin Shea?” Elliott asked. “He was off duty but managed to jump onto Ladder 55. They responded from the west side of Manhattan. He can’t forget his role as the surviving member of that company. He was blown out of the building when the tower collapsed. “How does life get back to normal for Engine 54, Ladder 4 and Battalion 9?” Elliott continued. “They lost 15 members of their company in one hour and 47 minutes.”
Brighton’s incoming fire chief, Brycen Garrison.
PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH
crowd. “For those who lead lives to serve others, the memories remain fresh wounds.”
Elliott said the impact of the 9/11 attacks seems to be lost on many Americans. “They will like a celebrity’s Instagram post and then move on to the next TikTok video,” he told the
Confusion Brighton’s incoming fire chief
said 9/11 provides a sense of confusion. “A lot of us are pulled in different directions,” said Brycen Garrison, SEE 9/11, P4
Making resources available to combat suicide ‘epidemic’ BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
COMMERCE CITY – The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office set up shop outside the Reunion Coffee House in Commerce City on Sept. 10 to talk about something no one really wants to discuss. Suicide. On that day, World Suicide Prevention Day, the discussion focused on
ways to prevent it. “We want people to talk openly about suicide,” said Levon Hupfer, the diversion director for the DA’s office. “Sometimes it’s OK not to be OK.” Hupfer A press statement from DA Brian Mason said 800,000 people worldwide will take their own lives. In the United States, there
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are 130 suicides per day, and it’s the 10th-leading cause of death. “The mental health crisis has a severe impact on our community and disproportionately impacts the criminal justice system,” Mason said in the statement. “The district attorney’s office is deeply committed to addressing this mental health crisis and to bringing greater awareness to World Suicide Prevention Day and other similarly
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2 • County starts work on 3 Veterans Memorial 7 14 • Page 3 18 22
SPORTS • Talented Douglas County too much for Prairie View
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important events.” Hupfer said while it’s important to report that someone commits a crime, suicide is not a crime. “People often say, ‘Someone committed suicide.’ We’re trying to change the culture because there is so much shame,” he said. “We don’t say it. It’s not appropriate to say it. We want family members of those SEE SUICIDE, P5
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