Jersey City officials held 9/11 memorial ceremony on the Hudson River waterfront across from the site of the World Trade Center, where first responders treated victims in 2001 in the aftermath of the terrorist attack.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“We honor those who lost their lives,” Mayor Steven Fulop explained during brief introductory remarks.
They held a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., when the first plane hit the towers, and then again at 9:02 a.m. when the second plane was struck.
Father Brian Paige, the pastor of Our Lady of Częstochowa Church, delivered the invocation.
“On this day we gather from many paths, traditions, and beliefs united in memory and hope. We remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001: mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters, friends and neighbors,” he said.
“Each one precious and beloved. We remember the courage of the first responders and ordinary people who gave themselves in extraordinary ways. We hold the grief of families and communities as we carry it with sorry and reverence. We pray together for healing where wounds remain.”
Jersey City Poet Laureate Ann Wallace then read a piece for the solemn occasion.
“Even on this wrenching September day that took so much, there is always movement, life, bits of life that sputter and grow,” she stated.
“Each fall, the knot of heaving pain softens and spins itself anew into the sacred web of memories, mine and yours, of all we lost.”
Several first responders were then invited to read the names of the 39 local victims who perished in the tragedy, ringing a bell to acknowledge each one.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra then played Taps after the names were read before flowers were placed in the water to conclude the ceremony.
Located at the foot of Grand Street, the memorial is made of twisted steel brought over from Ground Zero.
The site served as a triage center in the aftermath of the attacks. First responders provided critical care and support to people seeking refuge across the river there.
Today, the memorial is inscribed with the names of Jersey City residents who were killed, ensuring their memory is honored.
