Thursday, October 1, 2026
Dozens of residents lined Atlantic Avenue in silence on Aug. 10 as pieces of steel from the World Trade Center passed by on their way to be prepared for installation at East Rockaway’s 9/11 remembrance site in Memorial Park.
“It touches your heart, and reminds you of that terrible day we had 10 years ago,” said East Rockaway resident Ray Taliercio after watching the two 10-foot beams pass by. Taliercio said he remembered watching the towers fall, and that it all seemed so surreal. “Let’s hope something like this never happens again,” he said.
Children — many who were born after Sept. 11, 2001 — sat on their parents’ shoulders, watching the trucks carrying the remnants of that day. American flags dotted the street, and East Rockaway and Rockville Centre fire trucks created an arch, which the pieces of steel passed beneath.
“This is a proud day for the residents of East Rockaway,” said Mayor Fran Lenahan, “and a fitting tribute to all the civilians who perished, and those members of the uniformed services who selfishly gave their lives in service to the people on that terrible day.”
Members of the village’s Fire Department color guard stood at attention. “It was a good experience to see this close up,” said 1st Lt. Edward Weis. The New York Fire Riders Motorcycle Club escorted the beams, which were donated to East Rockaway by the World Trade Center Antiquities Organization and transported from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Oceanside Iron & Steel Supply, where workers unloaded them.
The village received donations and sold Sept. 11 coins to fund the project, said Harold Messerschmitt Jr., a member of the Village Foundation’s board of directors. “We are preserving the moment in time for the future generation,” Messerschmitt said, “and not forgetting what happened on that day.”
Village Foundation President Theresa Gaffney commended Lenahan and the village board for their support. “It’s been a very moving and rewarding experience for me, and for every member of the Village Foundation,” Gaffney said.
