A quarter century after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee continues to honor the five Seaford High School alumni who lost their lives, ensuring their memories live on through community service, scholarships and an annual Oktoberfest fundraiser.
Mulcahy’s in Wantagh hosted this year's fundraiser on Oc.t 18, during which Tom Condon, committee chairperson and retired Seaford educator, reflected on the committee’s history and Dawn Haskell shared memories of the five men.
Funds were raised through raffles, ticket sales and donations. The event began with the Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem and concluded with “God Bless America.”
Condon and the families of the five alumni established the memorial committee upon the suggestion of Ken Haskell, brother of two of the men being memorialized.
Condon was chosen to lead the committee because of his connection to all five alumni — brothers Tommy and Timmy Haskell, both FDNY firefighters; John Perry, an NYPD officer who was set to retire; and Rob Sliwak and Michael Wittenstein, who both worked at Cantor Fitzgerald.
“I was their guidance counselor, or I was their coach, or I was their teacher,” Condon said.
Funds raised at the Oktoberfest and throughout the year support several committee initiatives. Each year, the committee presents five or six Patriot Awards to graduating Seaford High School seniors based on “service, character and commitment,” rather than grades or essays. Applications are reviewed anonymously.
Condon emphasized the importance of the awards and the message behind them.
“'Always remember' is part of our theme,” Condon said. “At the time of 9/11 it was ‘never forget,’ and it was done with a lot of different emotions. We chose not to use the ‘never forget.’ We chose ‘always remember’ because we wanted this to be a very positive movement. We wanted this to be directed toward young people to benefit them, to inspire them.”
Over the past 25 years, the committee has awarded $275,000 in scholarships to high school seniors and has co-sponsored an annual trip for them to visit the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan.
Another major initiative of the committee is maintaining the 9/11 memorial at Seaford High School. This year, a Nassau County grant enabled the committee to restore the memorial with new lighting, pavers and landscaping, along with refreshed bronze and brickwork.
Dawn Haskell, sister of Tom and Tim Haskell, reflected on the memorial’s significance to the community.
“Seaford’s such a small community,” she said. “To lose five guys, I think was a lot. And I think that’s why the community is so impacted by that day.”
She also expressed gratitude for the committee’s continued dedication to remembering the five alumni.
“For us, we never wanted to forget Tommy and Timmy,” she added. “But now we don’t want anyone to forget, ever. So, I’m very grateful for the committee. Because this is 25 years later and these people still go to meetings weekly or monthly … and it means a lot to us. I miss my brothers very much.”
Beyond the memorial and scholarships, the event offered an opportunity for family and friends to share personal memories of the men.
Tim Haskell was known for his adventurous personality, earning the nickname “speed demon” from his grandmother, Maureen Haskell. His lifelong friend, Sean Rhatigan, a committee donor, recalled one particularly memorable incident.
“One time, when we worked at the Seaford Harbor Deli, he did convince me to jump off the roof into the garbage dumpster, because that was the way you compacted the garbage,” Rhatigan said. “I miss him dearly.”
Tom Haskell was considered a hero by his family, even before becoming a firefighter. “When he was 15, I was choking. He did the Heimlich maneuver on me,” Maureen said.
Tom played football with fellow alumnus Sliwak, also remembered fondly by Dawn. Wittenstein, who worked alongside Sliwak at Cantor Fitzgerald, graduated with Tim in 1985. Perry, who was set to retire from the NYPD on Sept. 11, graduated with Tom in 1982.
The personal connections among the five men reflect the close-knit nature of Seaford, a theme both Dawn and Condon emphasized throughout the fundraiser.
For Condon, the community’s continued support has made it possible to preserve the men’s legacies while inspiring future generations.
“The message I have to the community is that the Seaford community is very special,” Condon said. “They have gotten behind our message of service, character and commitment to such a great extent. They have supported us overwhelmingly for the last 25 years. Keep it up.”
