They Will Never Forget
They gathered on the 23rd Anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks to make one thing clear: they will never forget those who lost their lives trying to save others.
Attending a special ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial Park in Patchogue, residents remembered those lost and how the nation came together after the terrorist attacks.
“The attacks of 9/11 did not weaken us; they were but a test and only served to unite us as a people,” said Joseph Vanemmerik, commander of VFW Post 2913 in Patchogue. “Today, the smoking rubble of the Twin Towers has been removed, and in its place stands the nation's tallest skyscraper and a memorial that continues to remind the nation of the resilience of its people. The
scarred and scorched field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, has been healed by time and nature, and the destroyed halls of the Pentagon have been repaired and rebuilt,” he said of the sites attacked on 9/11.
Also attending the ceremony was Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano, who pointed out that more responders died after the 9/11 attacks from rare cancers and other related diseases than were killed directly by the cowardly terrorists. “We must honor those who exhibited immense selflessness and bravery in the face of danger,” he said. “September 11, 2001, remains a day every American will remember for the rest of their lives.”
Senator Dean Murray noted that there are no children currently in school that were born before 2001. “We have to pass on and share the stories of what happened and who was lost,” he said. “We must pass on the importance of two words: Never forget.”
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was retired Air Force Col. David Lange, who went airborne to protect the nation immediately following the attacks. “It was a surreal experience,” he said of patrolling the skies for 27 days straight, not knowing if another attack would occur. The events led to President George Bush declaring Operation Enduring Freedom, the nation’s stepped-up effort against terrorism that saw the elimination of 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden.
Hosting the ceremony was Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri, who noted that the 9/11 park overlooking the Great South Bay was born of another tragedy. The village used federal funds in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to build the beautiful memorial.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Legislator Dominick Thorne, Brookhaven Councilman Neil Foley, and Jack Krieger, village trustee, were among the residents, veterans groups, and other organizations recognizing the solemn anniversary.