Leonia — Families gathered at the World Trade Center Memorial in Overpeck County Park to remember loved ones lost in 9/11 attacks.
Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerny and the Board of Chosen Freeholders sponsored the annual remembrance ceremony in Leonia last Thursday.
"We pay tribute to all the mothers, daughters, sons, and father who we lost," McNerny said. "I applaud you for your inner-strength in keeping the memories alive."
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STAFF PHOTO BY ROY CARATOZZOLO III
A woman places flowers in front of the World Trade Center Memorial in Overpeck County Park in Leonia to honor her family member who died in the 9/11 attacks.
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Freeholder Vernon Walton of Englewood said it is important to hold these ceremonies to provide a support system for other.
"We pause to share a moment of solidarity with the family members,"he said.
Families placed flowers in front of the monument as the names of 147 Bergen County victims were read.
Freeholder Elizabeth Calabrese said that in remembering the victims they are still with us today.
"To a casual observer it would seem America is a deeply divided people," Calabrese said. "But in 9/11 we witnessed a fundamental unity of unspeakable pain and indescribable pride."
Bruce Kane of Englewood was there with his wife to remember their son, Howard L. Kane, who worked in Tower 1 on the 107th floor in the Windows on the World restaurant.
"We go to Ground Zero [for a ceremony] and we’re trying to build a monument in Liberty State Park in Jersey City for all the New Jersey victims’ names to go up on," Kane said. "The governor is behind us so we're trying to get funding now."
He said the monument in Overpeck County Park is great, especially since it was built so quickly.
"My [other] son works [a block away]," Kane said. "So he comes here and has lunch with his brother once a week."
E-mail: passow@northjersey.com
