Yorktown residents, local officials, first responders and community members gathered Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and honor those who lost their lives.
The day’s ceremonies centered on the stories of local residents killed that day, those who later died from 9/11-related illnesses and the responsibility to ensure future generations understand what happened. A common theme ran throughout the day: remembering not only Sept. 11, but who the nation was on Sept. 12, 2001.
The solemn morning began with a ceremony outside the Yorktown Elks Lodge, followed by one at Jefferson Village, where residents packed the clubhouse, many wearing patriotic clothing, to share personal experiences and stories of loved ones connected to the attacks.
Throughout the day, speakers recalled the nearly 3,000 people killed in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., including five Yorktown residents: Patrick Danahy, Simon Dedvukaj, Paul Fiori, Alan W. Friedlander and Barry McKeon.
“They were part of our community, and they will not be forgotten,” Supervisor Ed Lachterman said. “We also remember the extraordinary courage we witnessed that morning, and in the days that followed.”
Jefferson Village honored members of its community who later died from 9/11-related illnesses: Frederick G. Holm, Robert L. Kohl III, James J. McGowan and Ralph Joseph Pennella Sr.
Anne O’Neill, chairperson of social activities at Jefferson Village, described the men as part of the village’s “family.” The Jefferson Village community joined together to sing “God Bless America,” accompanied by a prerecorded video featuring resident Jo-Ann Sillik on piano.
At the 4 p.m. ceremony, speakers returned to the responsibility of remembering — and ensuring the stories of Sept. 11 are not lost as another generation grows up without firsthand memories of the attacks.
“September 11 isn’t simply American history,” Lachterman said. “It’s our history and here in Yorktown, it’s deeply personal.”
Monsignor Joseph R. Giandurco offered a firsthand account of the aftermath. He was among dozens of priests from the Archdiocese of New York who worked at the morgue at Ground Zero, blessing remains recovered from the site.
“Everything on the pile stopped when they found remains — large or small — and you could hear a pin drop until those remains were blessed,” he said.
The day’s ceremonies also emphasized the way Americans responded in the days after the attacks. Speakers recalled flags appearing on homes, strangers helping strangers and communities coming together.
“We don’t have to agree on everything,” Lachterman said. “Americans never have. But we can never allow our disagreement to make us forget that we are neighbors — we are one community, we are one nation.
Officials also recognized the firefighters, police officers, EMTs and other first responders who ran toward danger. Yorktown Police Chief Justin Foley, who aided in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site and later at the Staten Island landfill, reflected on his experience on what he called “sacred ground.”
“I carry their memories with me,” Foley said, noting that his experience was not unique among those who responded.
Dwayne Simmons, president of the Jefferson Village JOC, emphasized the solemn nature of the day.
“This is not a political occasion. This is a solemn occasion,” Simmons said. “People who gave their lives, so other people could live.”
Several speakers also stressed the importance of passing these stories to younger generations.
Assemblyman Matt Slater has introduced legislation, the Firefighter Joseph P. Spotorno Jr.’s Law, which would require the state education commissioner to establish Sept. 11 awareness curriculum or instruction for school districts. The legislation is currently before the Assembly Education Committee, while state Sen. Rob Rolison is introducing a Senate version.
As the ceremonies continued into the afternoon at the opening of the Yorktown Grange Fair and in Shrub Oak, speakers returned to the same idea: The country cannot recreate Sept. 11, but it can remember the way Americans responded on Sept. 12 — with neighbors helping neighbors, differences falling away and communities coming together.
Twenty-five years later, that spirit remains part of what Yorktown is being asked to carry forward.
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