A dream of remembrance

Doug Harbour calls himself an “old Marine with a dream” when speaking about his hope to have his hometown of Lamar, Colorado, create a 9/11 memorial tribute.

Harbour, an 80-year-old U.S. Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War, says his quest began in 2011, when he convinced city leaders to let him organize a local 9/11 tribute honoring the young men and women who went to war, many of whom never returned, and the police officers, firefighters, medics and civilians — including the heroes aboard United Airlines Flight 93 — who fought the first battles of the global war on terror at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in the skies over Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Harbour’s memorial journey came not only from his Vietnam War experience, but from the realization that his grandkids and other young people born after the events of 9/11 were not aware of the significance of the 2001 attacks. He thought that was wrong.

Thirteen years after the first Lamar 9/11 tribute, Harbour was discussing the plans for the 2024 tribute with a local rancher who told Harbour of a friend of his, a cop from New York, who had an amazing 9/11 story. Harbour contacted the cop and invited him to the tribute. The cop, retired Port Authority Police Detective Will Jimeno, had been trapped under the remains of the World Trade Center with now-retired PAPD Lieutenant John McLoughlin. Their story was told on the big screen in Oliver Stone’s movie World Trade Center.

Harbour spoke with Jimeno, explaining the tribute, and asked him if he would like to participate. Jimeno, who still suffers from disabling injuries, replied, “I can’t do a lot, but I can talk.” That set in motion a plan that saw Harbour round up about 1,500 students from 12 Lamar and Prowers County schools to attend an October 16, 2024, motivational talk by Jimeno. One small farm community school with 11 students and four faculty members drove three hours to hear Jimeno.

Will Jimeno does a number of speaking engagements each year. He talks about the 37 Port Authority police officers, 23 New York City police officers and 343 New York City firefighters lost on that horrible day, and the story of his and McLoughlin’s dramatic rescue from the ruins of the World Trade Center. He also wants people to be aware of his department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department. He speaks of its tragic history of being attacked by foreign enemies: the December 29, 1975, LaGuardia Airport bombing; the February 26, 1993, bombing of the World Trade Center; the December 11, 2017, Port Authority Bus Terminal bombing; and the September 11, 2001, destruction of the World Trade Center.

Harbour’s memorial journey came from the realization that young people were not aware of the significance of the 2001 attacks.

When he speaks to schoolchildren, he makes it “a human story, not Will’s story,” by engaging the youngsters in the events of 9/11 and putting a face on the tragedy with stories of fallen Port Authority Police Officers Dominick Pezzulo, Antonio Rodrigues and others. He talks about setting goals and tells the youngsters they can accomplish anything they want if they believe it to be so. He lets the students know how he set a goal to be reunited with his wife and children. His goal was to do everything he could to help himself and McLoughlin survive.

It is difficult to keep middle schoolers engaged, but Harbour says Jimeno did it effortlessly. The students were completely fascinated with Jimeno’s talk and motivation.

Harbour’s grandkids were not the only family members to spark the importance of “never forget.” His parents were both in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the day Japan attacked it, December 7, 1941, which became known in the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as “a date which will live in infamy.” Doug’s father was an Army Air Corps pilot stationed there and met Doug’s mother while she visited the island. When the attack occurred, Doug’s father rushed to his aircraft, a P-38, got airborne and was shot down by a Japanese Zero fighter. He survived, married Doug’s mother two weeks after the attack and spent the war in aerial combat in the Pacific Theater.

The personal Pearl Harbor connection resonated within Harbour, just as many have drawn parallels between that attack and September 11, 2001.

Some years prior to Will Jimeno’s appearance in 2024, Harbour thought it was time to construct a permanent memorial to the military and first responders. He was able to secure land, beginning an awakening with plans and a design that called for a circular centerpiece with a flagpole backed by three separate walls. The design includes three statues — a soldier, firefighter and police officer. The statues are being created by an Oklahoma City sculptor, Scott Stearman.

After Jimeno’s visit to Lamar, it became apparent to Harbour that Jimeno should be the model for Stearman’s police officer statue. Stearman met with Jimeno and took his physical measurements, even the distance between his eyes. “I’ve been given this amazing gift to respond to the emotions of that day with my hands,” Stearman says, “and to connect to the heart of the viewer.”

Stearman sees the memorial, which is scheduled to be completed by the 25th remembrance of September 11, as a story of the selfless actions of police officers, firefighters, military members and all first responders. “The memorial’s three walls are the walls we are safe behind while the police officer, firefighter and soldier charge through those walls to danger,” he says, adding, “the faces of the statues will be looking up as if gazing upon the burning towers they are about to enter.”

Stearman reflects on his art: “The work needs to survive me and communicate the story of someone standing watch while we sleep.”

When the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is commemorated by the people of Lamar, Colorado, the work of Doug Harbour, Scott Stearman and Detective Will Jimeno is certain to raise awareness of the selfless and courageous actions of our nation’s military, police officers, firefighters and all first responders, encouraging Americans young and old to never, ever forget their sacrifice, selfless courage and love for their fellow man.