Seminole County proclaims Sept. 11 "Patriot Day" and presents proclamation to family of Manny Leroy Clark

The Seminole County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 11 presented a proclamation recognizing Sept. 11, 2026 as Patriot Day and handed the proclamation to the family of Manny Leroy Clark, a Sanford native who died at the World Trade Center. "It is my honor to present this proclamation to the family of Manny Leroy Clark," Andrea Herr, chair of the county commission, said before reading the text of the proclamation aloud.

Herr framed the observance as part of a countywide remembrance of the 25th anniversary of the attacks and urged residents to preserve "the resilience, unity, and spirit of service" that followed 9/11. The proclamation honored nearly 3,000 victims and recognized first responders, veterans and community organizations that joined the ceremony. County leaders and public safety officials stood with members of the Clark family as roses were presented by local chiefs and a sheriff's office representative.

The reading was followed by a moment of silence, the presentation of colors, the national anthem and an invocation. The program concluded with a bell toll at 10:28 a.m. to mark the moment the North Tower collapsed and a benediction offered by Sanford Fire Department Chaplain Michael Nixon.