Sgt. Frank Celico’s Name Added to Memorial In 9/11 Commemoration at Heroes Park

The name of Sgt. Frank Celico, the late Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy, this morning became the third name engraved in the black granite of the Fallen Hero Memorial during the annual 9/11 commemoration at Heroes Park in Palm Coast. Celico, known as Frankie, died just after his shift on Sept. 9, 2011, of heart failure. He was 33. He joins the names of Florida Highway Patrol trooper Darryl Haywood Sr. and Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Chuck Sease.

The city previously honored Celico by adding his name to a street next to the gas station he frequented most for his coffee, and at a bicycle maintenance station at Linear Park, as Celico was an avid biker and supervised the Sheriff’s Office’s bike patrol unit.

The honor to Celico (his parents were in attendance) were one of several highlights of the 8:30 a.m. ceremony, which featured an Honor Guard compromised of New York, Palm Coast and Flagler County Fire Departments and Law Enforcement agencies and a parade of flags symbolic of New York and local emergency service agencies. The ceremony paid tribute to firefighters, police officers, paramedics and EMTs, with a presentation of wreaths at the respective memorials by active duty emergency responders and 9/11 survivors.

“After the appalling 102 minutes of tragedy was over,” Mayor Jon Netts said as he began his speech, “one single Callery pear tree stood alone and damaged, bending forward in the middle of the World Trade Center in New York City. Though eight feet tall, its charred limbs, snapped roots and broken branches remained as a testament to the despicable event that was the catastrophic terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.” Netts recalled the still-vivid memories of that day’s toll, the 2,974 civilians, firefighters, police officers and others murdered, and spoke of the rebirth of Ground Zero, culminating with the Freedom Tower’s 1,776 feet of concrete, steel and glass.

“The tree now stands as a living reminder of not only devastation that was 9-11, but of our nation’s resilience and survival. Its roots anchor the new 9-11 Memorial and Museum that recently opened at Ground Zero,” Netts said.

The National Moment of Silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the moment the terror attacks began with the first plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 466 miles per hour, was observed.

The Choral Arts Society sang the National Anthem and “Amazing Grace,” and Ancient City Pipes & Drums performed “Going Home.” Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano, visiting from his relatively new posting in Volusia County, performed Taps on his trumpet.

“Hopefully one day each of us can visit the new Memorial and Museum in New York City to stand as proud Americans who will never forget the tragic events of one of the most disastrous days in our nation’s history,” Netts concluded in his remarks. “I’d like to close my remarks this morning with the words inscribed on the 9-11 Memorial: ‘May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.'”

The images below were taken by Cindi Lane, Palm Coast’s marketing and communications director.