(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Friday, Sept. 1 Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center and Comcast Business teamed up to commemorate the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the service members who have died in the Global War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The commemoration was joined by Robert Irvine, world-class chef, and entrepreneur, star of Food Network’s “Restaurant: Impossible” and a well-known philanthropic supporter of military and veterans.

“It is a humbling experience to be part of Patriot Day,” said Irvine. “To remember September 11 is to remember that it is historically one of the worst days in the history of our country and the world, but also still a deeply personal and painful day for thousands of families. Yet for all the heartache that continues to echo down the years, Americans learned that our bonds of kinship were stronger than any that could tear us apart. I choose to focus on that fact and the countless heroes who rose to defend their nation after September 11, which of course, is what Patriot Day is all about.”

The event featured the tolling of the Honor Bell, a national symbol of lives lost fighting for the United States. The bell was part of a somber ceremony that included taps, bagpipes, muskets, and drums as those gathered remembered America’s fallen.

Bob McLaughlin, executive director of Mt. Carmel and retired Army colonel said. “Patriot Day is a somber reminder of the sacrifices made during the Global War on Terror and the lives lost at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We honor their memory, and we honor our partners who help support veterans and military members who have served our nation.”