Dan Novotny Honored to Read Names on 10th Anniversary

Dan Novotny made the list as an alternate to read the names of those who died on 9/11 at the ceremony in Manhattan. He did not know until the very end of the program if he would have the same opportunity as his brother Kevin to read their brother Brian’s name.

“I sat there all day,” the West Nyack resident said. “At the last minute they called me up. I read the last, final names and I got to say my brother’s name. ‘I said God bless my brother Brain Christopher Novotny’.”

It was an emotional day for him and his family. His mother, Mary Novotny, and sister, Jeanne Lawler, were also there.

His mother was pleased Dan got his wish.

“That means my whole family has read the names,” Mary Novotny said. She, her other children and grandchildren have read the names of those who lost their lives on 9/11.

She and Lawler attended the morning service in Manhattan and Clarkstown’s afternoon service where her son Dan led the Pledge of Allegiance. They spoke about the memorial site.

“We were very impressed with the waterfall,” Mary Novotny said. “It is a beautiful sight.”

“You can hear it, you can feel it,” said Lawler. “You felt peace kind of.”

The family made an etching of Brian’s name.

“We left a rose,” said Mary Novotny. “We left a note for Brian about how everything was.”