Honoring His Lost Brother

Dan Novotny hopes to participate in the reading of names of those who died on 9/11. His younger brother Brian died in the attack on the World Trade Center. Dan says most of his family members have read names at the memorial ceremony, which they attend yearly. He and his brother Kevin both applied this year and Kevin has already been notified.

“It’s a great honor actually on the 10^th anniversary,” says Dan and a way to show respect to his brother, whose office was on the 104^th floor of the North Tower, and to all the victims. 

“It doesn’t actually feel like it’s 10 years gone by,” says the West Nyack resident and Clarkstown Police Department civilian employee. “I think about him everyday. It doesn’t feel like 10 years, it feels like yesterday.”

The two brothers spoke four times after the attack and before the tower fell. Dan, a firefighter for 18 years and president of Nyack’s Jackson Hose Fire Company, told his brother to go into the stairwell and not wait for firefighters to reach him. Dan and another brother, Mike, a Clarkstown detective, volunteered at Ground Zero. Mike worked in the pit searching for remains and Dan delivered supplies.  Partial remains of their brother were found. 

As the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks approaches, New City Patch is gathering local images of 9/11 and its aftermath. If you have pictures related to this day in our nation's history—whether it be a train ticket you were carrying in your pocket that day, a keepsake from a loved one or even a photo of where you were on 9/11, we'd like to include it in our gallery.

We're also looking for people to interview who have a moving and engaging story to tell about Sept. 11. Almost everyone has a story about that day. We want to tell New City's stories.

If you started a charity to help local 9/11 families or first responders, if you decided to become a police officer or joined the armed services because of 9/11, or if your life has been indelibly changed by the events of that day, we want to hear from you. Email robin.traum@patch.com if interested.