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PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—It hasn’t gotten any easier, and in our towns, safe to say, it never will.
Whether we came to hear speeches, prayers, patriotic chords, or the silence of grief and reflection, residents across the Pascack Valley turned out to honor the dead 17 years after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
Sixteen Pascack Valley residents lost their lives that day: Ronald Orsini of Hillsdale; Paul Beatini, Joseph Keller, Ron Magnuson, Joseph Maio, Paul Rizza, Scott Vasel and Martin Wortley of Park Ridge; Angel Ramon Pena of River Vale; Daphne Pouletsos, Francis Riccardelli, James Romito, Kalyan Sarkar and Michael Wholey of Westwood; and Jack D’Ambrosi of Woodcliff Lake.
Here are highlights of this year’s local remembrances.
Emerson
In Emerson, the Fire Department’s observance was at its Sept. 11 Memorial—hallowed steel from the World Trade Center mounted on a giant black granite cube with etchings on four faces: the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, Flight 93, and Albero.
Hillsdale
Hillsdale turned out at Veterans Memorial Park for its annual candlelight vigil, featuring emergency services personnel at the 9/11 Monument, the work of Eric Stigliano for his 2013 Eagle Scout project.
Councilman Zoltan Horvath, Hillsdale’s official photographer, has an album of vigil photos up at his website, photos.digitalvisionphotography.us, under “9/11 silent homage by Hillsdale we shall never forget.”
Montvale
Montvale marked 9/11 at the new firehouse on Memorial Drive ahead of its Oct. 6 open house and dedication. There was a candle lighting ceremony, and families heard from local officials and special guests, including FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, the top FBI official in New Jersey.
Also on hand were FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Terracciano; FBI Special Agent John Nichols, a former NYC police detective; Special Forces Operations Sgt. Myles Cappiello, whose unit was the first to go to Afghanistan to bring the fight to the Taliban and whose story is told in “12 Strong”; New York City Police Officer Pete Killeen, a psychotherapist for the NYC PBA; Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo; Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino; state Sen. Gerald Cardinale; Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi; and Assemblyman Robert Auth.
Following the attacks, Ehrie served on the PENTTBOM Task Force, drawn from more than 400 federal, state, and local investigators from more than 40 agencies.
Returning to New York in 2006, he assisted with developing the office’s first Human Intelligence Squad, focused on recruiting sources and assets across the investigative spectrum.
Former FBI Director James B. Comey appointed Ehrie to the Senior Executive Service in October 2013 as section chief of the Domestic Terrorism Operations Section.
Park Ridge
Park Ridge held its candlelight ceremony at Veterans Park. Our photos show the Fire Department, the Police Department, Brownies and Girl Scouts, kids with their parents, the call to attention from American Legion Post 153 and Boy Scouts of America, The Rev. Mark J. Suriano, Park Ridge High School students, Mayor Keith J. Misciagna, “America the Beautiful” guest soloist Lori Fredrics, and World War II veteran and bugler Reg Duncan.
Memorial wreaths were presented in memory of the men Park Ridge lost.
Dick Bozzone of CPL. Jedh C. Barker American Legion Auxiliary Unit 153, co-chair of the annual Patriot Day observance, noted that “Seventeen years into the longest war America has endured we find our servicemen and -women serving and in combat in some 70 nations. With God’s help we will prevail against these forces of evil in the near future.”
River Vale
River Vale’s ceremony was at the 9/11 Memorial Garden in Veterans Memorial Park, next to the River Vale Public Library, to honor victims, survivors, and those who rose up in service in response to the attacks.
Invocation and benediction were by Pastor Wayne Jones of United Methodist Church of Westwood. Remarks were offered by Mayor Glen Jasionowski. After a moment of silence, Isabella Tjan, a junior at Bergen Academies High School, delivered a beautiful solo.
The Township of Washington
The Township of Washington held its Annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at Jack Woods Senior Center, with Color Guard and laying of wreaths.
The national anthem was by Michele Atkins, Gabriella Dunay, Catherine Grob, and Daniel Lin. Invocation was by the Rev. John James, Bethany Church. “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” was by Rebekah Braun-McGovern. “Amazing Grace” was by Marina Robles. “Taps” was by Stephen Munson and Antonio Vinagre. “God Bless America” was by James Dugan. “America the Beautiful” was by Jackie Capone.
Westwood
Westwood held its candlelight ceremony at 8 p.m. at the 9/11 Memorial at the south end of the Westwood Train Station.
Mayor John Birkner Jr. recalled Marine Sgt. Christopher Hrbek, who was killed in action in Afghanistan, among Westwood’s fallen in the attacks.
He extended special thanks to former Mayor Skip Kelley “for his unyielding effort to uphold this important Westwood tradition.”
On Facebook, one poster recalled “the smoke and the smell and actually seeing the remains of the tower from Overlook Drive in Woodcliff Lake. Then the funeral processions near St. Andrew’s.”
Another wrote, “We in Westwood actually knew people who didn’t get out of the towers. Love you, miss you.”
Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake’s memorial service was at Jack D’Ambrosi Sports Complex, named for the local father, All-American athlete, and vice president of operations at Cantor Fitzgerald, who died at 45 at Ground Zero.
Woodcliff Lake Middle School remembered the victims with a Remembrance and Service Ceremony. Leading up to the event, the 8th grade class honored Bergen County’s victims by writing their names on the sticks bearing small American flags, which they sank into school grounds.
The ceremony kicked off with Principal Michael Andriulli addressing the students on the importance of remembering the victims of 9/11.
Andriulli charged the students to share and exemplify the spirit of Sept. 11 through their service and interactions with others.
“The fact that they were not born yet on that tragic day does not make it less important and they should never forget the people who lost their lives,” the school told Pascack Press.
The students then marched outside to the front of the school where the flags were planted for each of the Bergen County victims, and followed up with a moment of silence.
The morning continued with “Operation Goody Bag, a service activity aimed at remembering and showing gratitude to our first responders.
The County of Bergen
The County of Bergen recognized the anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11 with its annual memorial ceremony in Overpeck County Park at the World Trade Center Monument.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5), along with first responders from Bergen County, attended the 9/11 Memorial Service at the Bergen County Law and Safety Institute to honor the tragic loss.
Also that day, Gottheimer and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) spoke at Midland Park’s 9/11 memorial to urge federal lawmakers’s support on a bill that would help secure airplane cockpit doors.
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