9-11

Good evening. Thank you for joining us on this, the 24rd anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that took nearly 3,000 innocent lives, including two of our own: Daniel McGinley and Gregory Clark. I thank our Haworth Volunteer Fire Department for hosting this ceremony each year, our Police department, Ambulance Corps, and my Council colleagues for participating today—and always for the work you do on behalf of our residents to keep us safe, healthy and united in our goals for Haworth.

24 years feels both long and fleeting. September 11th is a day that weighs heavily on all of us. We remember the lives cut short, and we hold close in our hearts their loved ones who still carry their loss every day. We stand together in remembering and honoring the victims, the families, and the survivors dealing with the aftermath, recognizing the lasting consequences of 9/11 on individual lives. My continued prayer is that we hold onto our memories of those so cruelly taken from us, and remember those they left behind.

We live in challenging times. There is a thrum of divisiveness, dismissiveness and nastiness that has reached dangerous levels in our society. Today, I remember what it was like to be an American in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001. The urge to mourn alongside others brought people together throughout New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, DC and across the country. Our shared anguish and heartbreak united us. People of different ages, backgrounds and political leanings stood together for hours in line to donate blood, to hold up signs of thanks and support for firefighters and police officers and to share candlelit moments of silence. People found meaning in public service after the 9/11 attacks. Many channeled their emotions by enlisting in the military, police academies, fire departments and EMT work. Others founded charities, contributed to philanthropic causes, ran for office and gave back in countless other ways.

I am so grateful for those people in Haworth. Our police department is second to none. And our Fire & Ambulance corps are volunteers that also exemplify courage, sacrifice and love of community. So many of our residents give their time & resources to help make other people’s lives better. In their names, and those like them in every community. And in memory of the souls taken that earth shattering day, I ask that we hold onto our gratitude and compassion. And most of all, that we treat each other with respect and civility on our best days, not just our worst. May we never forget.