Former Pelco CEO David McDonald spearheaded the establishment of the California 9/11 Memorial in Clovis in 2012. Photo contributed

The Port Authority police officer who was buried in the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Center for 13 hours will be the honored guest at the California 9/11 Memorial in Clovis on Monday.

Former U.S. sailor William Jimeno was an expectant father and rookie police officer on Sept. 11, 2001, when he and two other officers were collecting rescue equipment at the World Trade Center site to aid in evacuating the complex. They were going through the shopping mall beneath the buildings when the South Tower collapsed above them.

 

His ordeal was portrayed in the 2006 Oliver Stone film “World Trade Center,” where he was portrayed by Michael Pena.

Jimeno will be presented an American flag during the 22nd annual 9/11 ceremony, which will give the public chance to see recent expansion at the memorial including a Flight 93 tribute and a sapling from the original “Survivor Tree” — a rehabilitated Callery pear tree discovered at Ground Zero in October 2001.

The annual remembrance ceremony — the largest of its kind outside of New York — will be hosted at the California 9/11 Memorial in Clovis on Monday, Sept. 11, promptly at 8:30 a.m.

Former Pelco CEO David McDonald spearheaded the establishment of the California 9/11 Memorial in 2012. It is located at 3485 Never Forget Lane at the former Pelco campus. The California 9/11 Memorial Foundation was formed in 2019 and Terra Brusseau was hired as memorial executive director in 2022.

Jimeno will also deliver a talk about his experience later Monday evening at 6 p.m. at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Auditorium at 808 Fourth St.

On Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m., the Clovis Veterans Memorial Auditorium will host the awards ceremony for the 2023 One Voice Contest, which invite Fresno County middle and high-school students to submit art, poetry and logo designs reflecting on how the country was united after 9/11.