Cruisers Honor 9/11 Victims

The Monroe Street Rodders Car Club was joined by the Bridgeport Fire Department and area law enforcement at Bill's Drive In Saturday night to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon nine years ago.

As doo wop sounds filled the air, state troopers along with police officers from Bridgeport and Trumbull greeted visitors amidst the hot rods and muscle cars sharing stories about where they were that fateful day.

Sam Teja, vice president of the car club, said during the cruise night the club was accepting donations for each of the police departments, selling T-shirts and holding a 50/50 raffle with the proceeds going to the Fallen Firefighters fund.  

Meanwhile, at a table alongside the restaurant, representatives of the Bridgeport Fire Department took donations for its own fallen heroes, Lt. Steven Velasquez and Firefighter Mitch Baik, who were both killed in the line of duty during a house fire on July 24.   

Chris Martin, assistant fire chief in Bridgeport, said the department has been collecting donations since the tragedy by way of fill-a-boot donations, T-shirt sales and tip a firefighter nights at area restaurants.

Martin said there have been many community events to raise money and WPLR radio will be holding a Second Chance Prom at Vandri's Stillwater Inn in Southington Friday to support the firefighters' fund.   

 So far the department has collected approximately $100,000 for the cause.

"We appreciate everything people have done," Martin said. "The community has supported this in a very big way."

Bridgeport Police Officer Richie Mercado, reflecting on the 9/11 tragedy, said he remembers being on duty on Briarwood Avenue and receiving a call from his wife to inform him of the towers being struck.

"It touched everybody's life and really woke us up as a nation," he said. "It impacted all of us."

Alan Del Favero, president of the Monroe Hot Rodders Car Club, decorated his 2008 Chevy Silverado with American flags and "God Bless America" banners especially for the event.

Del Favero said there was a small ceremony where members of the fire and police departments memorialized the 2,573 victims of the World Trade Center tragedy.

"Everyone here tonight did a really good job," he said.