Local politicians, law enforcement officials, service members and community residents gathered Thursday evening at the American Veterans Memorial Pier on the Bay Ridge waterfront for a 9/11 vigil honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the first responders who rushed into the burning towers at great personal risk.
The program included musical performances by the Xaverian High School Band, the presentation of the colors and Pledge of Allegiance by the Girl Scouts, and the national anthem performed by Scarlett London Diviney. Rabbi Royi Shaffin of the Bay Ridge Jewish Center, Imam Ahmed Ali Uzir, commissioner of the NYC Commission on Racial Equity, and the Rev. Brian P. Dowd of St. Patrick’s Church offered prayers and reflections.
Addressing the attendees, many of them holding American flags, Council Member Justin Brannan recalled that 23 of his former classmates from Xaverian High School were killed in the terror attacks.
“They were all innocent salt of the earth,” Brannan said. “Souls stolen. Everyone lost someone they loved that day, but our community here in southern Brooklyn was hit very hard. Maybe as a result, we have taken seriously the charge of never forget.”
Brannan also emphasized the importance of funding the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Act, which supports the thousands of first responders who have been diagnosed with World Trade Center-related cancers linked to exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero during the rescue, recovery and cleanup operations.
“We cannot leave them behind,” Brannan urged. “This is something that should transcend political divides. Fully funding this act is not just a matter of policy; it’s a matter of honor and responsibility to those who gave so much to our city and our country.”
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes reflected not only on the emotional toll of the worst terror attack on American soil but also on the countless acts of heroism and selflessness on 9/11 and in the months that followed.
“I’m thinking about the incredible bravery and sacrifice of our first responders, as well as the many everyday New Yorkers who stepped up and answered the call to help,” Gounardes said, reminding the crowd that 24 years later, first responders were still dying from 9/11-related illnesses.
“We owe the heroes still living with 9/11-related diseases the ongoing support and care they deserve from every level of government,” Gounardes said.
Col. Alexander Young of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, joined the Army 24 years ago after the events of 9/11.
“It really shaped my career, where I served, and a lot of what I did in uniform. The sacrifice of those who responded to that call that day, that included people in my organization, left a legacy that continues to inspire and motivate me to this day,” Young said.
NYPD Capt. John Dasaro, commanding officer of the 68th Precinct, said the darkness of 9/11 also revealed the courage of first responders who rushed into danger to protect others.
“As a community, we have the responsibility to carry out the legacy of those we lost, to stand together, to support one another, and to never take for granted the freedoms and security that so many have fought to preserve,” Dasaro said. “Let today serve as both a remembrance and a call to action.”
FDNY Deputy Chief David Simms, who was a lieutenant at a fire station in lower Manhattan on 9/11, recalled the cobalt-blue sky that morning as he worked through the smoke, fire and screams.
“I also remember that on the darkest day in recent American history, the members of the FDNY never shined brighter than they did that day,” said Simms, who lost 343 of his brothers that morning. “24 years is a long time. The memory fades. Survivors move on. It is our nature to want to put days like this behind us, but some things we don’t forget, they can’t be forgotten.”
Josh Pesin attended the vigil holding a photo of his friend, John William Perry. Perry, an NYPD officer, had been at police headquarters on the morning of 9/11, filing his retirement papers to begin a new career as a lawyer. When he heard about the attacks, he grabbed his badge back and rushed to Ground Zero to assist in the rescue efforts. Perry was killed when one of the towers collapsed, and his body was recovered months later.
“It’s a sad memory, but we have to have resolve to continue. Life goes on, [we have to] and remember the people we lost,” Pesin said.
Bay Ridge resident Leslie Pasipanki told Brooklyn Paper that she knew some of the 9/11 victims, as well as a survivor who worked on the 105th floor of the South Tower. Despite being told to stay in place after the first plane hit the North Tower, the survivor left and was on a train when the second plane struck the South Tower, Pasipanki recounted.
“So all these things come back to me every year when I watch the morning show on 9/11. I remember all these things. It’s important to us, it really is,” Pasipanki said.
