San Ramon Valley 9/11 Ceremony Goes Virtual

SAN RAMON VALLEY, CA — Friday evening, in remembrance of 9/11, San Ramon Valley residents will hear from Jay Comella, an Oakland fire captain who found himself in the middle of disaster response efforts while on vacation in New York City nearly two decades ago.

The event is hosted by the Exchange Club of the San Ramon Valley.

Comella was supposed to visit a close friend and mentor at his fire station that day. But instead, he turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane hit the World Trade Center, organizers said. He was on scene within an hour and remained there for nearly a month, searching through the rubble for victims and bodies.

His mentor died, as did many acquaintances, organizers said. Comella did, however, save two people who recovered from their injuries.

Comella will be joined by Christian singer Lanisa Lum Keith, a San Ramon native who still lives in the city.

The event will take place on the Exchange Club's Facebook and YouTube pages, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Students who wish to participate in the club's annual essay contest and compete for cash prizes may do so beginning Friday. The theme is "Letters of Appreciation to our First Responders."