Twenty-five years have passed since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but for many in Webster Parish, the memories of that day remain vivid — where they were, what they were doing, and the moment they realized the United States was under attack.
For some, the events of September 11 also changed the course of their lives and the lives of their families.
Jerry Madden remembers his son, Joshua, then beginning his sophomore year at Minden High School, coming to see him at work after school that day.
“He looked me in the face and said, ‘Dad, have we been attacked?’” Madden recalled. “I said, ‘Yes, son, I believe we have.’ He looked down at first, then looked up at me and said, ‘Well, I guess that tells me what I have to do.’”
Joshua turned and began to walk away.
“I said his name, but he just walked away,” Madden said.
That night, Joshua told his father, “I have to do something.”
September 11 influenced Joshua Madden’s decision to join the U.S. Army, his father said. Sgt. Joshua Barrett Madden, born in 1985, died in service in 2006.
“Because of 9/11, our son joined the Army to do what he could to protect his family,” Madden said.
For Minden Fire Chief and Webster Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Brian Williams, September 11 carries memories both personal and professional.
Williams was working at Advanced EMS when the first plane struck the World Trade Center. He and others were watching the news when the second plane hit.
“I remember when all air traffic was grounded, and we could not request helicopter assistance for a period of time,” Williams said.
Minden Police Chief Jared McIver also remembers the moment the news reached him.
“When 9/11 happened, I remember I was mowing grass and received a phone call telling me what was unfolding on national news with the terrorist attacks,” McIver said. “When I later learned of the casualties and damage that occurred, I was mad and sad at the same time.”
A quarter-century later, Williams said his thoughts return to the 343 firefighters who died, along with other first responders and thousands of others whose lives were forever changed.
“I still think about the 343 firefighters and other first responders who went to work that morning simply intending to do their jobs and never went home,” Williams said. “I think about their families and the thousands of innocent people whose lives were forever changed.”
For Williams, remembrance also includes the passengers and crew of Flight 93, who fought back against the hijackers before the aircraft crashed in Pennsylvania.
“I believe honoring September 11 means carrying forward the courage, commitment, and lessons of those who were lost,” Williams said. “Never forget.”
McIver also reflected on the first responders who entered the World Trade Center knowing the danger they faced.
“The brave and courageous men and women first responders of all different branches, whether they lost their lives or suffered lifelong injuries that day, did not sit back and just assess the damage and try to figure out a plan to go inside those burning towers,” McIver said. “They went straight to the most severe parts of it to try and rescue as many as possible. They took action knowing that the consequences could cost them their lives.”
Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said the actions of first responders and civilians that day continue to resonate with those serving in public safety.
“As sheriff of Webster Parish, September 11 carries an even deeper meaning,” Parker said. “The courage displayed by law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, and ordinary citizens who ran toward danger continues to inspire those of us who serve in public safety. Their selflessness reminds us why we wear the badge.”
A responsibility to be ready
The attacks fundamentally changed emergency preparedness and the way first responders train and work together, Williams said.
“Professionally, September 11 represents a responsibility,” he said. “It changed the way we think about emergency response. We learned that communication and coordination can be just as important as equipment.”
For those charged with preparing communities for disasters, Williams said September 11 demonstrated the need to consider events that once might have seemed unimaginable.
“We have to anticipate the unimaginable, train for it, exercise our plans, build strong partnerships, and continually learn from the experiences of those who responded before us,” he said.
Those lessons must also be passed to younger generations of first responders, Williams said.
“We have a responsibility to make sure the next generation of firefighters and emergency professionals understands why we train, why we prepare, and why we never take the responsibility of protecting others lightly,” he said. “September 11 is a reminder of the oath we take, the people we serve, and the obligation we have to be ready when someone else needs help.”
“We remember by serving. We honor by preparing. And we carry their legacy forward by making sure we are ready for whatever comes next.”
McIver said September 11 likewise changed law enforcement and the nation’s approach to security.
“We have learned so much in law enforcement and militarily since that tragic day,” McIver said. “We learned as a country that we were vulnerable. That one event taught us that we have to be vigilant at all times.”
In the years since, McIver said the country has developed and expanded Homeland Security, fusion centers, border protection efforts, counterterrorism groups, and other resources intended to identify threats from both domestic and foreign terrorism.
For McIver, the lesson is that the country cannot allow the passage of time to lead to complacency.
“If we let our guard down, become lax and comfortable, it’s possible something even more tragic could happen again,” he said.
Parker echoed the need for preparedness and vigilance while also emphasizing unity.
“The lessons of that day remain just as relevant today,” Parker said. “We must stay vigilant, stay prepared, and never take for granted the safety of our communities or the freedoms we enjoy. Most of all, we must remain united.”
‘For those of us who lived through it, it is a memory’
State Rep. Wayne McMahen also remembers exactly where he was when the news reached Webster Parish.
McMahen was working as a veterinarian in Springhill and was on a farm call when the client’s pastor told them that a plane had struck one of the World Trade Center towers.
“At first, we didn’t understand the magnitude of what was happening,” McMahen said.
About an hour later, he returned to his veterinary clinic.
“Everyone was gathered around the television,” he said. “By then, we knew America was under attack, and it felt as though the world had stopped.”
McMahen said the 25th anniversary should be a time to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the ordinary people who helped strangers. He said remembrance should also extend to those who entered military service in the years that followed.
“We also need to honor the young men and women who volunteered to serve our country in the years that followed, many of whom — and whose families — paid a tremendous price,” McMahen said.
Among that generation was Madden’s son.
For young adults today, however, September 11 is an event they know only through history.
“For young people today, September 11 is history,” McMahen said. “For those of us who lived through it, it is a memory.”
A history book can recount what happened, he said, but cannot fully communicate the emotions of living through the day.
“Younger generations should understand that the people who died were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, husbands, and wives,” McMahen said. “They expected an ordinary day and never came home.”
He said they should also learn about the first responders, the passengers aboard Flight 93, the Americans who searched for ways to help, and the generation that subsequently served in the military.
“Some never came home, while others returned with visible and invisible wounds,” McMahen said.
A name on a flag
Years after the attacks, the Maddens traveled to New York City to visit the World Trade Center site for the 10th anniversary of September 11.
While visiting a shop, Madden saw a flag patterned after the American flag and printed with the names of those who died in the attacks.
One name caught his attention.
Madden.
He bought the flag and, after returning home, began trying to learn about the man whose name he had seen. Eventually, Madden found a telephone number and called, hoping to speak with the man’s wife. Instead, his mother-in-law answered.
She told Madden the man had called after the plane struck the tower.
“He asked her to tell his wife and daughter that if he didn’t make it out, he loved them so much,” Madden recalled. “Before he could say another word, the phone went dead. She screamed his name, but nothing.”
Madden offered the woman his condolences before ending the call.
“I will never forget that short conversation,” he said.
Remembering how the nation responded
For McMahen and McIver, another enduring memory of September 11 is the way Americans responded in the days and months afterward.
“I remember how churches were filled with people praying and turning to God after that event,” McIver said. “People were joining the military to go fight the regimes responsible for carrying out the attacks. It was a moment of patriotism.”
McMahen similarly recalled a period when divisions seemed less important.
“For a time, our differences seemed less important than what we shared,” McMahen said. “We grieved, prayed, and stood together as Americans.”
Parker also pointed to the unity that followed the attacks as part of their enduring legacy.
“Personally, it was a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life can be and how quickly our world can change,” Parker said. “It also showed the resilience of the American people and the strength we find when we come together during difficult times.”
McMahen said he continues to see that spirit in Webster Parish when people respond to neighbors facing storms, fires, illnesses, and other hardships.
“We don’t have to agree on everything to love the same country and want a better future for our families,” McMahen said. “America is stronger when we work together. One meaningful way to honor those we lost is to recognize that what unites us is greater than what divides us.”
Williams said remembrance can also be expressed through action.
“I would ask our citizens in Webster Parish to take a moment to remember the lives that were lost and the first responders who ran toward danger when others were running away,” Williams said. “But don’t let that remembrance just be a moment of silence.”
He encouraged residents to thank a first responder, volunteer, donate blood, learn CPR, or help a neighbor.
“The best way to honor those we lost, and those who responded, is to be the person who is willing to help when that moment comes,” Williams said.
Parker likewise encouraged residents to turn remembrance into meaningful gestures.
“If I could ask the people of Webster Parish to do one thing on September 11, it would simply be to pause and remember,” Parker said. “Whether it’s flying the flag, attending a memorial, thanking a first responder, performing an act of kindness, or teaching our children about the sacrifices that were made, every gesture matters.”
“The best way we can honor those who lost their lives and those who answered the call is by carrying forward the values they demonstrated — service, courage, compassion, and unity,” Parker said.
McIver said he hopes each anniversary serves not only as a time to mourn, but as a reminder of the patriotism and vigilance that followed the attacks.
“Hopefully each year on 9/11, we not only mourn the loss of lives from that event with reverence, but we treat each day, each week, and each year with patriotism, Godly worship, and never-ending remembrance,” McIver said.
McMahen also encouraged residents to pause September 11 and remember those who never returned home, the first responders, the passengers of Flight 93, and those who served the nation in the years that followed.
“If you’re a person of faith, say a prayer for the families who still carry that loss, for those affected by that day, and for the people who protect our country,” McMahen said. “Then do something kind for a neighbor. Help someone who needs it, thank a first responder, call someone you haven’t spoken with, or fly the American flag.”
“One of the finest tributes we can offer is to remember not only how people died, but how America responded — with courage, compassion, faith, patriotism, and unity,” McMahen said.
“What unites us as Americans is greater than what divides us.”