MARGATE – Eugene A. Tighe Middle School eighth grader Josephine Peller wasn’t born yet, but her parents told her about the day the world changed.
“My parents said it was a big shock when it happened. They were in college then and my dad said it was the biggest attack on the United States that they ever experienced in their lifetime," she said before the city's 9-11 Memorial Service started today.
She said her dad told her that the events that unfolded brought to reality that the country is not as “impenetrable” as he was brought up to believe.
“It made him more aware of geopolitical things happening outside of the U.S.,” she said.
Margate Fire Chief Dan Adams said Thursday was a beautiful day, but the sky was not quite the brilliant blue that is was on Sept. 11, 2001. He asked the large crowd gathered to “Never forget.” The entire eighth grade class of students who were not yet born rode their bicycles to the event with a police escort.
But, this was the first year that the city’s youngest learners from the Playgroups Plus were not in attendance, since the preschool program relocated to Ventnor.
“This gathering is all about the children and the future,” Adams said.
“We must be united to ensure our future is bright like it is today,” he said, addressing the students standing behind the rows of chairs set up in the street. “This is all about you. You will grow up and become the future leaders of our country.”
Firefighter Martin Walley was selected to honor the firefighters who perished on that fateful day by ringing the “Four Fives,” which Adams explained represents a firefighter's call to duty. Many firefighters from the Downbeach area responded to assist any way they could at Ground Zero, he said.
“We went there on Sept. 13 but all we saw was a big cloud of smoke. We thought we would go there to make a difference and rescue people but there was no one alive to save,” Adams said.
Firefighters stepped to the microphone to announced that 2,977 people were murdered on 9/11, 343 were firefighters, 23 members of the New York Police Department, 37 from the Port Authority Police Department, 184 died at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and 40 perished on Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pa.
“But those numbers have grown, and people continue to die from the after-effects of the recovery operation,” Adams said.
Mayor Michael Collins, Assemblywoman Claire Swift and others spoke about the heroes who rushed in without a thought for their own safety to help their fellow man and the resolve of the country after the attacks.
“America responded and showed its resilience,” Swift said.
Rabbi Jonathan Kremer of Shirat Hayam synagogue in Ventnor shared the Jewish tradition of blowing the shofar, a ram's horn that calls on the faithful to be “introspective, take action and be resolute.”
“And when we go back to our lives, remember that hundreds of souls were slaughtered and never went home.”
Monsignor Brubaker, now retired and living in Ventnor, was a chaplain for the Air National Guard who was called to active duty at Andrews Air Force Base to assist with the deployments of soldiers around the world in response to the attacks.
“God saw us through it and brought us together,” he said. “We are here today to build a better world.”
Rev. Vickie Ney of Margate Community Church closed the service saying that in light of yesterday’s assassination of conservative political influencer Charlie Kirk, resorting to violence should never be the way to make a statement.
“Patriots have different viewpoints, but they should never foment violence. God is our refuge and our strength,” she said. “Turn to the one who promises to be the light of day.”
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