Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. (center) hosted a virtual ceremony to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the September 11th (9/11) tragedies in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. Laying a memorial wreath with DiVincenzo after the ceremony are (from left) emcee Stephen Adubato; St. Benedict’s Prep Headmaster Father Ed Leahy; Imam W. Deen Shareef from Masjid Waarith ud Deen; Freeholder Vice President Wayne Richardson; Freeholder President Brendan Gill; Congressman Donald Payne Jr.; Helman Correa, father of Danny Correa who lost his life at the World Trade Center; Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, Sheriff Armando Fontoura and Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne. (Photo courtesy of Essex County)
As the world faces the onslaught of the Novel Coronavirus, it took a moment collectively to remember a solemn occasion.
Nineteen years after the cruel and cowardly terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, people held ceremonies and tributes to remember the fallen. However, this year saw smaller gatherings, with people wearing face coverings due to the global pandemic.
Despite nearly two decades having passed, the scene is still fresh in mind. That fateful day, 19 hijackers were a part of an attack that targeted the financial, military, and legislative centers of the United States. Two planes hit the World Trade Center, toppling the twin towers in under two hours. One plane hit the Pentagon, while another was supposedly headed for the Capitol Building, or perhaps even the White House. However, thanks to the bravery of its passengers, United 93 was downed in a field in Shanksville, Pa. The plane emanated from Newark Liberty International Airport, with “Liberty” added to commemorate their sacrifice.
On May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks, was eliminated by Navy SEAL Team Six in Pakistan. The person who gave the go for the operation was former U.S. President Barack Obama.
We mourn. We remember. We live on.
