Cpl. Jordan Stanton's Family Highlights Patriot Day Ceremony

On the day before the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, Bob Stanton stood before a few hundred people at Rancho Santa Margarita's Patriot Day celebration in Central Park and spoke from his heart. 

With his wife, Joyce, at his side, Stanton talked about watching fellow RSM resident Lisa Frost die in the second plane crash into the World Trade Center, and the effect that had not only on the community but on America.

He also spoke about his son, , killed in combat March 4 in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. Only 20, he was an assistant team leader assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune, NC.

During the speech, the city's adopted 2nd Battalion 5th Marines regiment stood at attention to Bob Stanton's right.

"As a nation we saw what mattered to us and became a community, and Rancho had grown into a small town and was becoming that close community," Stanton said. "We rallied behind the Frosts. I'm so proud of that, and unbeknownst to all uf us, our children grew up affected by it. ... Years later, I look around, and I see Jordan over here in every one of these guys. ... Many of these young men were small or young teenagers at the time this happened—they decided that it mattered to them to help everyone else. They don't get a lot of glory, they don't get a lot of money, they take a lot of flak. They do a lot of things for us, and they are us.

"It's a time of war and they all joined up. It's a really interesting and noble thing that makes America unique. We have to be prideful of that. Our son did the same thing."

The attached video includes the entirety of Stanton's speech. In addition, the ceremony included remarks by Mayor Tony Beall and Lt. Col. Jason Perry, commanding officer of the 2/5, along with taps, a 21-gun salute and the lowering of city flags to half staff.

The day also provided a display of military hardware as Marines allowed children—and adults—to climb the vehicles and lift some of the weapons of the trade.

Patch will have more videos and photos later, in addition to the links below:

• Read 911 stories of 9/11 across Patch sites
• Read the Lisa Frost story, "Ten Birthdays"
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• Read "Remembering 9/11: New Year's Eve Service"
• Read "Remembering 9/11: The Never-ending Hurt"
• Read "Remembering 9/11: 'What Are We Going to Do?'"
• Read "Remembering 9/11: The Good Shepherd"
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