‘It never gets easier’

Eight years have passed since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but the pain and grief still remain in the hearts of those who lost friends or family members. More than 50 people stood in the rain at the annual 9/11 memorial service in Hendrickson Park, honoring the dead and reflecting on how the events of that tragic day changed survivors’ lives forever.

Mayor Ed Cahill led the Friday-morning ceremony, noting that just as the families of 9/11 victims had stood in the rain at ground zero earlier that morning, those who gathered for the village commemoration would do the same. “I can tell you that eight years have passed, but the sense of loss still runs deep,” Cahill said. “There is a hole in our hearts that still feels bottomless. But today, we stand together with pride, commitment and honor, and resolve to do good in the name of all those lost.”

The small crowd included members of the village board, local dignitaries, auxiliary police, civilian patrol members and representatives of the Central High School District, along with the school choir. Victims’ family members placed roses on the 9/11 memorial plaque as the choir sang “On the wings of song.”

Joan York, who lost her husband, Raymond, in the attacks, has attended the memorial every year, and said this year’s was beautiful, despite the weather. York said that Sept. 11 never gets any easier for her and her family. Getting through the day, she said, is always difficult. “You think you’re making strides,” she said, “but then the day comes, and it brings you back like it was yesterday.”

Raymond York’s mother, Delores, who also attended the memorial, said the pain of losing her son will never subside. “It never gets easier,” she said. “It’s gets harder. And trust me, I’m not alone. I’m sure there’s mothers out there that feel the same.”

George Catalanotto of the Valley Stream Civilian Patrol said that the ceremony becomes more emotional each year. “I lost some friends in 9/11,” Catalanotto said. “I don’t want it to get easier, because I never want to forget them.”

Residents Linda Frusci and Joan Roche said they attend the memorial every year. Though they did not lose anyone close to them in the attacks, they said they needed to support those in the community who did. “It was very touching and emotional,” Frusci said of the ceremony. “I had to be here to honor the families and support them.”

Roche said the feel of the ceremony was “very personal,” and she appreciates the way the village honors the victims. “I’m glad our town remembers the brave and those lost,” she said. “I pray that something like this never happens again.”