September 11, 2001 was a day the world changed forever. Twenty four years later
we can still recall the horror as the news unfolded before our eyes. The terrible
scenes on television are forever seared into our memory. The fear and
uncertainty, and the unimaginable loss and pain our country and community lived
through are impossible to forget. For many who lived through September 11,
2001, we remember where we were and the days and months that followed with
loss and memorials, and in some instances the agonizing wait for remains to be
recovered. But time passes and has a way of making memories fade. Distance
from an event such as this, tends to make us feel disconnected. An entire
generation was not yet born when 9/11 occurred. For them it is a historical event,
like the two World Wars or Vietnam.
There are many lessons we have learned the last twenty four years. We have the
wisdom of the heroic sacrifice and love exemplified by the first responders
including Firefighter Tom Foley, and the other 341 FDNY members, NYPD, Chief
Marchbanks, who along with Welles Remy Crowther, a civilian who died helping
save thousands of others. They are the heroes who raced in and sacrificed their
tomorrows, so tens of thousands could have today. That loss is immeasurable.
We also have the lessons that come from the pain of loss that our 9/11 families
have endured. These past twenty four years have not been easy for them and we
are in awe of their perseverance. The 9/11 families teach us to appreciate what
we have and to hold those we love tighter and closer in our hearts. We have
learned to understand all that we have is a gift not to be taken for granted.
We also have the lesson of the volunteers and first responders who worked at
Ground Zero and became ill, ultimately dying as a result of that service. The
heroism of these people teaches us the true meaning of love.
On this 24th anniversary of September 11 th , the Town will once again pay tribute
to the 26 residents with ties to our Town and the thousands of others who died
on September 11 th . As our monument says, “we will never forget”. We will
remember the goodness and humanity of the fallen sons and daughters of
Clarkstown and Rockland County and commemorate their lives and also the
courage and strength that their surviving families have demonstrated. We
remember…
JON LESLIE ALBERT
ALEXANDER H. CHIANG
WELLES REMY CROWTHER
RICHARD JOSEPH CUDINA
THOMAS DOWD
CARL M. FLICKINGER
THOMAS J. FOLEY (FDNY)
FREDRIC NEAL GABLER
YUDHVIR S. JAIN
VANESSA LANG LANGER AND HER UNBORN CHILD
ERIC LEHRFELD
LAURA MARIA LONGING
MARK GAVIN LUDVIGSEN
JOSEPH ROSS MARCHBANKS, JR. (FDNY)
JOHN DANIEL MARSHALL (FDNY)
DONALD JAMES MCINTYRE (PAPD)
BRIAN CHRISTOPHER NOVOTNY
DAVID ORTIZ
KEVIN O. REILLY (FDNY)
VERNON ALLAN RICHARD (FDNY)
JOSEPH ROBERTO
ROBERT W. SPEAR, JR. (FDNY)
CRAIG WILLIAM STAUB
STEVEN WEINBERG
DAVID TERENCE WOOLEY (FDNY)
MICHAEL T. WHOLEY
