Lance Winter
WIMBERLEY— High above the Wimberley Valley, a light breeze stirred the American flag and others the morning of Sept. 11, as residents gathered at Wimberley Veterans Memorial Plaza to remember a day that changed the nation.
Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the passage of time has done little to diminish the meaning of the day for those who gathered at the memorial plaza, located within the EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens.
Against the backdrop of the Texas Hill Country, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6441 hosted Wimberley’s annual Patriot Day ceremony — a morning devoted to remembering the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks, honoring the first responders and military personnel who answered the call afterward; and recognizing a local resident whose service has been devoted to the town he calls home.
“Today is the day that we have designated as Patriot Day and on this day, we remember all of the lives that we lost 25 years ago today on 9/11, 2001,” Mike Lukowiak, member of Wimberley’s VFW Post 6441, told those gathered. “We also honor our first responders and the military personnel who serve as our primary line of defense in times of need.”
The absence of many local first responders that morning offered its own reminder of what service can require. Lukowiak said several had spent the previous day battling a fire in the Woodcreek area, with firefighters not finishing their work until about 1 a.m.
The ceremony recalled the events of Sept. 11, when four commercial airliners were hijacked. Two were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, N.Y., another struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Va, and a fourth crashed near Shanksville, Pa, after passengers fought back against the hijackers. The attacks killed 2,977 people, including hundreds of emergency responders.
For retired U.S. Army Col. Mike Thibodeaux, who is active with Wimberley VFW, the anniversary was also an opportunity to consider everything that has followed in the quarter-century since.
“Most people remember where they were during that time and what they were doing during the time of the attacks,” Thibodeaux said.
He reflected on the wars, national security changes and sacrifices of American service members that followed 9/11. He pointed to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and changes in intelligence coordination, surveillance and airport security as part of the attack’s enduring legacy.
“As difficult as these years have been, and they have been, I believe we are a stronger nation after 9/11,” Thibodeaux said. “Our men and women, both in uniform and the civilians, have responded to the war on terrorism as a patriotic duty.”
But in Wimberley, Patriot Day has also become an occasion to recognize another kind of service - the quieter work of people who devote themselves to their neighbors and community.
As part of the ceremony, VFW Post 6441 named John Poe the 2026 Wimberley Patriot of the Year.
Poe served as an Air Force sergeant during the Vietnam War era and was stationed at Kadena Air Base in Japan before spending more than four decades working in Houston’s energy sector. After retiring to Wimberley, he turned his attention to community service, volunteering with organizations, including the Wimberley Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity and the Wimberley Institute of Cultures.
His wife of 41 years, Karen Poe, introduced him during the ceremony, describing a life shaped by family, hard work and service.
“Once here, John jumped into the ‘Wimberley Way’ with his volunteering,” she said. “Always ready to step up and help, he has volunteered with numerous organizations. We are blessed to be part of this community. Every day there is an opportunity to see neighbor helping neighbor.”
Karen Poe said her husband’s commitment to service was rooted in lessons learned early in life. His father served in the Army during World War II and was a prisoner of war in Germany, while his mother was a teacher. Those examples, she said, helped establish a lifelong commitment to family and community.
Standing before friends and family after receiving the recognition, Poe called the honor “unbelievable.”
He also reflected on the small poppy flower he had been given that morning, a symbol traditionally associated with remembrance of those lost in war. For Poe, it connected the sacrifices of generations past with those remembered on Sept. 11.
“9/11 was such a terrible event, but that’s one of the prices that we pay for our freedoms that we have,” Poe said.
He spoke of the balance between freedom and security and the need to remain vigilant, while expressing gratitude for the military, government personnel and first responders who continue to protect the public.
Then, with family members and friends present, Poe kept his response to the recognition simple.
“Thank you,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
It was a fitting sentiment for a morning built around remembrance and gratitude.
Twenty-five years after a September morning became permanently etched into the nation’s memory, the flags above the Wimberley Veterans Memorial Plaza were lowered to half-staff but continued to move in the Hill Country breeze, overlooking a community gathered not only to remember those who were lost, but to honor those who continue to serve.
