 Borough President Vito Fossella stood in front of the soaring wings of the Postcards Memorial, which perfectly frame the spot where the Twin Towers once stood across the harbor, to reflect and remember the 267 Staten Islanders who were lost 23 years ago when the blue-sky morning turned black, breaking our skyline and our hearts forever. Hundreds gathered for the annual September 11th Memorial Ceremony amid a backdrop of American flags and the Tower Of Lights shimmering in the distance. “Twenty-three years ago was a day like today and a bunch of folks, many of them who we know just wanted to go about their life, and as we know by now, they didn’t come home,” said Borough President Fossella. “All they wanted was a life of happiness, a life of joy, to see their kids go to school, to hopefully see their kids get married, and maybe see their grandchildren -- but they didn’t get to experience those joys and those blessings. We are never going to forget their memory, their existence, their spirit. Their spirits will never die.” The processional was performed by the Staten Island Pipes & Drums and the colors were presented by U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York at Fort Wadsworth, the U.S. Army North East Medical Area, and the Fort Wadsworth Readiness Support Group. Rebecca Quilla sang the National Anthem. Bishop Peter Byrne, pastor of Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, led the invocation, and Bishop Victor Brown, pastor of Mount Sinai United Christian Church, led the benediction. Gov. Kathy Hochul also offered remarks. Bells tolled, heads bowed, and tears were shed as the names of those lost on Sept. 11 and in the years since from 9/11-related illnesses were read one-by-one by their family members while an FDNY tugboat sprayed fountains of water into the harbor. The ceremony concluded with the Tottenville High School Ceremonial Taps Unit as family members gently placed roses at the Postcards Memorial and ran their fingers over the names of their loved ones forever etched into the silhouettes of the wing’s graceful curves, evoking notes sent to heaven. Our thoughts were also with those who were at the Pentagon and those on the plane that crashed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pa. Comments are closed.
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