Westchester Residents Remember September 11th

Westchester residents gathered at Kensico Dam Plaza Saturday to honor the lives of the more than 100 county residents and thousands of others who died on September 11th.

County officials and family members of the victims gathered at The Rising Memorial—a monument dedicated to the victims of the tragedy—to remember the 9^th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center.

The ceremony began with a presentation of colors by the Westchester County Public Safety Ceremonial Unit and the Police Emerald Society of Westchester Pipes and Drums. Then community leaders spoke about the attack, which Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino called "a disaster of still-incomprehensible proportions." 

"Words fail us at a time like this," Astorino observed. "But actions can heal—the simple act of all of us being here, says: we will never forget." 

Astorino discussed his own presence at the World Trade Center during the 1993 terrorist bombing. As a result of that experience, Astorino said, "not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings."

Ken Jenkins, Chairman of the County Board of Legislators, continued the theme of gratitude and appreciation as he praised the efforts of police officers, firefighters, emergency workers, and ordinary citizens who jumped in to help when the towers collapsed. 

"We continue to mourn their deaths and honor their sacrifices," Jenkins said.

Jenkins also observed that rather than "weaken our country's resolve towards peace and democracy," the attacks actually encouraged communities across our country to come together.

"In tragedy," Jenkins explained, "we found unity."

Those in attendance expressed this sentiment when they joined hands for a benediction led by Reverend Dr. Aldophus C. Lacey of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Peekskill. 

"Can I break protocol, and ask to invade personal space?" Reverend Lacey asked. "I'm going to ask you to just touch someone near you."

Looking over a crowd of people with intertwined hands, Reverend Lacey prayed to God to "continue the comfort and keep us."

County officials and family members of victims joined together to read the list of names of Westchester residents who were killed in the tragedy. 

"We love you, Pop, rest in peace," the son of victim Samuel R. Salvo added after reading his father's name. "We'll miss you forever."

After the names were read, the wife and daughter of victim Sean O'Neill led those in attendance in singing "Amazing Grace." Sean's daughter, also named Sean O'Neill, was not yet born when her father was killed in the terrorist attack.

When the ceremony ended, family and friends gathered at the base of The Rising sculpture, a stone base called "The Circle of Remembrance" because it is made of 111 squares, one inscribed for each Westchester resident who died on September 11th. Frederic Schwartz Architects built The Rising, and families of the victims chose Kensico Dam Plaza as the site for the sculpture.

"The whole ceremony was very touching, very heartwarming," said Larchmont native Tom Hartley. Hartley and a friend came to place flowers at the inscribed name of another friend who died in the tragedy.

"This affected people around the world, but so many victims lived in Westchester," said local politician Jim Russell, observing the families gathering around the memorial. "It had a strong effect on us, as a bedroom community of New York City."

Russell added that, as we get further away from the date of the attack, memorials should continue to educate those too young to remember.

"Each generation has to recall the suffering of their ancestors," Russell said. "That's what keeps a community, a country, together."

Nearby, an older man shared his memories of September 11^th with four children placing flowers at the Circle of Remembrance.

"It was beautiful outside," he began, noting, "the weather was like today…"

Not far from them, Sean O'Neill found the inscription of her father's name, which is now her own.

Together, the young and the old remembered what happened on that day nine years ago.