Villages of Lynbrook, East Rockaway commemorate 19th anniversary of 9/11

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On a somber Friday, residents, elected officials, first responders and community leaders gathered for ceremonies in Lynbrook and East Rockaway commemorating the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“I was impressed to see so many residents at the service supporting family and friends of those lost,” Lynbrook Mayor Alan Beach said, “and in doing so, they maintained social distancing.”

When addressing those gathered at the memorial behind Village Hall, Beach said the country should use the solemn day to focus on what unites people instead of what divides them. He said he still felt anger, grief, loss and sadness 19 years after the attacks, but he also had hope for the future.

“We will never forget,” he said. “But in all of its destruction, it brought us closer. We should also remember the unity of Sept. 12 and the days following the attacks. New Yorkers and all Americans stood strong and together, in a way that I have never seen before in my lifetime. We were there for our neighbors, friends and family . . . We owe it to those we lost 19 years ago today to make it a point to live and rekindle the spirit of the unity that brought us together.”

Beach noted that he lost loved ones, colleagues and friends on that day, and thanked the fireman, police officers, doctors and nurses who continue to help others to this day, and the brave lives who were lost that day.

In East Rockaway, first responders, village officials, community members and others gathered in Memorial Park to read the names of those that were lost that day and to also host a ceremony of remembrance.

Mayor Bruno Romano addressed the audience, and village trustees, employees and first responders read the names of every life that was lost in the attacks.

“In addition to our regular annual program, the village board and I decided to include a name reading ceremony this year for all of the people that perished in the World Trade Center,” Romano said afterward. “Members of the East Rockaway Fire Department, first responders from our community and a family member of an East Rockaway 9/11 victim were honored to read aloud the names of all that perished. It was a beautiful ceremony and the board would like to continue with this tradition.”