They also represent the very real people and their very real stories — and that is Operation Hero’s main message as it recognizes those Utah first responders who have lost their lives since 9/11.

On Wednesday, Operation Hero held a ceremony opening Utah’s Fallen First Responders Boot Display commemorating fallen first responders at the Layton Hills Mall.

“Today is National First Responder Day, and in honor of Utah’s fallen first responders, we have our very first boot display honoring those first responders who have passed away since 9/11,” Operation Hero founder Antoinette Stapley told the Standard-Examiner on Wednesday just prior to opening it to the public. “We know we don’t have all the names. We know that there’s more names than what is shown here, but we wanted to make sure that on this day we are honoring those fallen.”

She said that the display included around 56 boots representing police officers, dispatchers, firefighters, EMS personnel and more from across the state who have passed away — regardless of whether it was in the line of duty or not — since 9/11. The display also acknowledges fallen K-9s from the same timeframe.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

Stapley said that Operation Hero has been doing its military boot displays all across Utah for nearly 11 years, but this was their first display commemorating fallen first responders.

“It’s always been part of Operation Hero’s passion to make sure that we honor our fallen first responders,” she said. “This took us a few years, but we wanted to make sure that they were remembered, their families are remembered. I have a brother who serves as a firefighter and very close to my heart, and I know that it would mean a lot to me to have him remembered if something ever happened. … We just felt like it was really important that we bring that knowledge and that awareness to the state of Utah for our fallen first responders.”

She said she was happy with how the inaugural first responder display came together.

“It turned out very nice,” she said. “I like it. We had great volunteers who came out and helped us set it up, and we’re excited. And we’re also grateful that we get this opportunity to set the fallen first responder boot display up here at the Layton Hills Mall.”

Wednesday’s ceremony included remarks from Brian Sorensen, brother of Jason Sorensen — a Davis County Sheriff’s Office deputy and LifeFlight paramedic/pilot who died in 2020.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

“He loved his family, served his community, and made a difference in the lives of others,” Brian said of his brother. “When people hear about Jason, they hear about a deputy paramedic, a rescue team member, a pilot — those are extraordinary accomplishments, and I’m incredibly proud of everything — but to me, he’s always been one of my little brothers. An adventurous kid who loved riding motorcycles, building bike jumps and eventually finding a way to turn his love of adventure into a lifetime of service. Jason didn’t set out to be a hero. He simply lived his life doing what he loved: serving others, and making a difference along the way. And perhaps that’s truly what makes a hero — not the recognition that they receive, but the difference they make in the lives of others. We love him. We miss him, and his legacy continues.”

Stapley said that Operation Hero chose to highlight the lives of the fallen.

“We honor those who have fallen on- and off-duty,” she said. “As long as they were employed as a first responder, we’re going to honor them. We don’t ever discuss how they passed away because … our motto is, ‘Say their name, tell their story and remember them all.’ It’s their legacy that we want people to know about.”

She said that the public should take the time to learn the stories of first responders and the families of first responders just as they’ve been encouraged to do with members of the armed services.

“As you see a first responder, ask them what their story is,” she said. “When you meet a family of a fallen first responder, ask them what their story is about their first responder.”

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

Stapley said another design choice was purposefully made when arranging the boots for display.

“You may notice that the boots aren’t separated by agency or department, and that is intentional,” she said. “Because as the roles may have been different, they all share the same commitment of serving others. Each boot represents a name, a story, and a family. It’s not about how they died.”

Acknowledging to the audience that Operation Hero doesn’t have all the names of first responders who have died in Utah in the last 25 years, she encouraged the public to go to Operation Hero’s website to submit additional names.

Stapley said she’s hopeful that this is only the first of many opportunities to display the first responder boots.

“I hope that we will get that opportunity to set out our first responder boot display along with our service member boot display,” she said.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

The Utah’s Fallen First Responders Boot Display will be on display at Layton Hills Mall through Sunday.

For more information, visit https://operationheroes.org/.

Utah’s Fallen First Responders Boot Display at Layton Hills Mall on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.

Boots in Utah’s Fallen First Responders Boot Display are not arranged by department, acknowledging that all served the greater good of the community. The display is pictured here at Layton Hills Mall on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.

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