Thirteen years since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, hundreds of residents flocked to Town Park Point Lookout, to witness a compelling new memorial tribute honoring all those who lost their lives that day.
At the center of the ceremony were two 18-foot-tall, sand-crafted tribute towers set against a 35-foot-long “Wall of Heroes” mural, which depicts the Manhattan skyline, and a reflecting pool at the base of the memorial display.
As part of the interactive event, participants were asked to cast white carnations upon the pool. Attendees were also encouraged to write the names of loved ones who perished in the attacks upon the “Wall of Heroes” mural. Finally, guests were asked to place miniature American flags, each with a tiny message, atop a sand platform in front of the towers.
“I believe that this 9-11 program was important for those who attended, because the active participation of guests made the program personally meaningful,” said Hempstead Town
Supervisor Kate Murray. “Hundreds of neighbors return to this seaside location each year, the same place where they gathered immediately after the 9-11 attacks, looking toward the site of the once majestic towers in horror and disbelief.”
In addition to the lavish memorial tribute, the ceremony included performances from the Kellenberg Gregorian Consortium, a releasing of doves, fire truck flag arches, choral solos, a bagpipe procession and the ringing of the memorial fire bell by Levittown Fire Commissioner John Rottkamp.
A keynote was delivered by the daughter of an NYPD officer who died over a decade after 9-11 as a result of exposure to carcinogens at Ground Zero and other recovery locations.
“The remarks that were offered by a police officer’s daughter who died over a decade after 9-11 as a result of exposure to carcinogens at ‘the pile’ underscores the ongoing pain of that fateful day,” Murray added. “At the same time, the victims of 9/11 have left a legacy of love and hope that the terrorists could never understand or ever destroy.”
