Never Forget

A morning of Hope and REmemberance

— an event hosted by Permission To Start Dreaming Foundation —

There are days in history we do not simply remember. We carry them.


9/11 was one of those days. It changed families, communities, and the lives of countless men and women who stepped forward to serve.


On November 20th, join the Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation for a morning of remembrance, reflection, and hope as we honor the lives lost, recognize the courage shown, and help the next generation understand why we must never forget.

Save The DAte

Friday, November 20, 2026 10:00 AM

Harborview Fellowship Church

4819 Hunt Street NW

Gig Harbor, WA 98335

— Tickets on Sale 9/11 —

TIM BROWN

Decorated FDNY Firefighter, 9/11 Survivor, Emergency Management Expert, and author of The Greatest Love

Tim Brown was on the ground at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A retired and decorated FDNY firefighter, Tim survived the attacks and lost nearly 100 fellow firefighters, friends, and colleagues that day. In the years since, he has carried their memory with purpose, supporting families of the fallen and keeping the promise to Never Forget. As the author of The Greatest Love, Tim speaks with hard-won honesty about grief, courage, sacrificial love, and what it means to keep serving while carrying loss.

Ian Ricci

Combat Veteran and Director of Warrior PATHH Programs

Ian Ricci’s life was forever changed by the events of September 11, 2001. At the time, he was attending college on a soccer scholarship when he felt called to serve. Ian left school, enlisted in the United States Army as an Infantryman, and deployed to Iraq during one of the most difficult periods in our nation’s recent history. While serving in Fallujah, he was wounded by an improvised explosive device. After returning home, Ian continued serving fellow veterans through advocacy and support. In 2018, he attended Warrior PATHH, a life-changing experience rooted in Post-Traumatic Growth. It strengthened his belief that struggle can become a path toward strength, purpose, and growth. Today, Ian is a senior leader within Boulder Crest Foundation’s Warrior PATHH program, walking alongside veterans and first responders as they move toward healing, connection, and a renewed path forward.

Ian Ricci

Combat Veteran and Director of Warrior PATHH Programs

Ian Ricci’s life was forever changed by the events of September 11, 2001. At the time, he was attending college on a soccer scholarship when he felt called to serve. Ian left school, enlisted in the United States Army as an Infantryman, and deployed to Iraq during one of the most difficult periods in our nation’s recent history. While serving in Fallujah, he was wounded by an improvised explosive device. After returning home, Ian continued serving fellow veterans through advocacy and support. In 2018, he attended Warrior PATHH, a life-changing experience rooted in Post-Traumatic Growth. It strengthened his belief that struggle can become a path toward strength, purpose, and growth. Today, Ian is a senior leader within Boulder Crest Foundation’s Warrior PATHH program, walking alongside veterans and first responders as they move toward healing, connection, and a renewed path forward.

CHAPLAIN GARY RUDD

Executive Director, Tacoma Pierce County Chaplaincy

Board Member, Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation

Chaplain Gary Rudd has spent decades standing with people in moments no one should have to face alone. As Executive Director of Tacoma Pierce County Chaplaincy, Gary leads crisis intervention and trauma support for first responders and community members throughout Pierce County. His work brings him alongside police, fire, corrections, and emergency response agencies, caring for those who carry the weight of serving others. Gary joined the Board of Directors for the Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation in June 2026. His heart for this work is rooted in a steady belief that healing, purpose, and resilience grow when people are met with hope, dignity, and support.

Special Music Performance

Andy Shofner performing “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?”

Featured Book

The Greatest Love by Tim Brown

In The Greatest Love, Tim Brown shares what it means to keep living, serving, and loving after unimaginable loss. Written from lived experience, the book reflects grief, resilience, sacrificial love, and the choice to turn pain into purpose.

Hosted by

Permission To Start Dreaming Foundation

Proudly Sponsored By

We are grateful to Best Western Wesley Inn & Suites, Subaru of Puyallup and Harborview Fellowship and Conference Center for their partnership and support in helping make this morning of remembrance, reflection, and hope possible.