Rememberance

[SJU85]

I know in the past this Site was “closed” (shutdown) on 9/11. In remembrance for those who passed away that day and the days and years later due to the after affects, and our Webmaster Paul.

Remembrance
WEDNESDAY
September 11, 2024

With gratitude and respect, I remember.

Today I honor those who have gone before me. Through my remembrances, I keep their unique contributions to my life and the world alive. Even though these dear ones may be gone from the world, they live in my memory and inspire me to keep living, loving, and growing.

Life goes on. I do not cling to my memories or hope to recapture the past, but I keep the best of those I've known and loved close to my heart.

I celebrate their memory, speak their names, and feel gratitude for the time we shared.

I allow the full expression of my emotions during these tender times. I may feel sad and vulnerable or joyous and peaceful. I don't judge myself, and I sit with my feelings for as long as I need to. With love in my heart, I remember.

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. -Psalm 112:6

 

[SI1996]

I know in the past this Site was “closed” (shutdown) on 9/11. In remembrance for whose who passed away that day and the days and years later due to the after affects, and in our Webmaster Paul.

Remembrance
WEDNESDAY
September 11, 2024

With gratitude and respect, I remember.

Today I honor those who have gone before me. Through my remembrances, I keep their unique contributions to my life and the world alive. Even though these dear ones may be gone from the world, they live in my memory and inspire me to keep living, loving, and growing.

Life goes on. I do not cling to my memories or hope to recapture the past, but I keep the best of those I've known and loved close to my heart.

I celebrate their memory, speak their names, and feel gratitude for the time we shared.

I allow the full expression of my emotions during these tender times. I may feel sad and vulnerable or joyous and peaceful. I don't judge myself, and I sit with my feelings for as long as I need to. With love in my heart, I remember.

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. -Psalm 112:6

+ 1000000000

 

[Spocky Ramone]

I know in the past this Site was “closed” (shutdown) on 9/11. In remembrance for those who passed away that day and the days and years later due to the after affects, and our Webmaster Paul.

Remembrance
WEDNESDAY
September 11, 2024

With gratitude and respect, I remember.

Today I honor those who have gone before me. Through my remembrances, I keep their unique contributions to my life and the world alive. Even though these dear ones may be gone from the world, they live in my memory and inspire me to keep living, loving, and growing.

Life goes on. I do not cling to my memories or hope to recapture the past, but I keep the best of those I've known and loved close to my heart.

I celebrate their memory, speak their names, and feel gratitude for the time we shared.

I allow the full expression of my emotions during these tender times. I may feel sad and vulnerable or joyous and peaceful. I don't judge myself, and I sit with my feelings for as long as I need to. With love in my heart, I remember.

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. -Psalm 112:6

Today’s winner of the Interwebs!

 

[section10]

I just returned from venice floridas 9/11 remembrance event.
the guest speaker was a NYC fireman who was at the base of the south tower when it fell.
he has many medical conditions because of that attack.
RIP BC john "jack" fanning - mater christi 1965 (my class), SJU 1969.
I was in lower manhattan that morning.
never forget.

 

[Knight]

I too was working in lower NYC.
My dear friend, FDNY Rich Sweeney was out injured that day and heard the news on his TV. He got his gear and threw it in his truck and headed to Manhattan on the Belt Parkway, stopping at the Battery Tunnel and ran with his gear to “the Site.”
Luckily for him he arrived after the collapse of the towers. Rich lost many close friends that day from his Squad 252 family, but remained at the Pile to search for and recover bodies for several weeks thereafter. He was the last uniformed firefighter on the site. At the request of his bosses, he shepherded family members to various agencies and organizations working with the survivor families.
God bless our heroes. God bless Rich Sweeney. God bless America. Never Forget.

 

[mjmaherjr]

Some on here know I think I might have mentioned it before My wife worked at Windows on the World and closed the restaurant 9/10 and was last one out with another manager that night and was supposed to work 9/11 and go in around 3 or 4pm. 19 years together and I'll still never fully comprehend what that feels like in her or any of her friends who weren't there in the morning minds because it's brutal feeling this time of the month.

 

[SJU85]

Some on here know I think I might have mentioned it before My wife worked at Windows on the World and closed the restaurant 9/10 and was last one out with another manager that night and was supposed to work 9/11 and go in around 3 or 4pm. 19 years together and I'll still never fully comprehend what that feels like in her or any of her friends who weren't there in the morning minds because it's brutal feeling this time of the month.

One of my brother in-laws worked in Tower 2 ( South Tower) and on that particular day, my nephew gave him fits while trying to get him to the sitter. He would up being really late which is a rarity for him as he is Mr. Prompt. He never made it downtown. When the first plane hit Tower 1, those in Tower 2 were told to stay put. He shared an Assistant with another Director (they were not just colleagues but friends). The Assistant decided to leave with several others while others including the Director stayed. She made it out while the other Director and 10 others from the company didn’t.

My brother in-law will tell you and mentioned it in a family text today, that my nephew saved his life.

 

[Silly Donovan]

Lost several neighbors from Manhasset, a few friends and two former students that day. I still get teary eyed when I see videos and remembrances. But what I remember most from that day was that it didn't matter what your background was, the color of your skin, your economic status, political affiliation etc. everyone came together to support and help one another through this horrific event as we were all Americans and proud to be one. It hurts to see that so many today have either forgotten or have never been told of the sacrifices of our first responders, police, firemen, and EMTs and treat many with such disrespect. Hopefully our schools do a better job in relating the many sacrifices made on that day.

 

[Alumni Hall]

Did SJU post a remembrance of the Alumni that lost their lives that day? I saw many posts on social media from other Universities remembering their lost but I did not see one today from SJU? Did I miss it?

 

[Amaseinyourface]

Twitter posts from sju and sju basketball accounts

 

[Alumni Hall]

On that day, I was in the training room when an athlete ran in telling us to turn on the TV. Quickly the room filled as we watched what was going on. Many followed me when we went to the top of the old football stadium where we had a clear view of the Towers as the fire continued. We went back inside to watch them come down. Immediately the Presidents office called me to an emergency meeting as I was on a 8 member Emergency Response Task Force.

We were told to prepare Alumni Hall as a Triage Center for the injured from Ground Zero. Cots were brought in and security started placing them on the court. Early on they realized there would be no injured coming, and the City requested to take over the arena as a temporary morgue. By 5 or 6 pm that was called off as no remains were being found.
The athletes were all in shock as we on the staff were. Our AD asked Coach Masur and I along with Fr Maher to lead a candlelight service for all the athletes right near the grassy area behind Alumni Hall. It was one of the toughest things Dave and I ever had to do. 400 crying athletes, many with no cell service to call their loved ones home or their parents to contact them.

The next few days were not much better as the news of how many alums we lost that day including our former baseball captain, Mike Weinberg from the FDNY. On Day 3 a call went out from the FDNY that they were in need of medical supplies, ice chests and water coolers. My staff and the volleyball team loaded up as much as we could fit into a cargo van. Gatorade told me to empty out my supply room of all coolers, ice chests and water bottles for the crews at Ground Zero and they would replace all. So I drove to the 107th precinct and got a special pass that allowed myself and two softball players to travel INTO NYC to the Javits center where the National Guard met us and unloaded everything and gave us another travel pass back to Queens campus.

The last thing we did was went to the local art store and bought a 100 foot roll of paper which we placed on the walls in the long hallway by the training room. We put out markers and every athlete and staff came by and wrote a message to the fallen, to people they never knew. And in whatever language from whatever country the athlete was from. So heartwarming to watch and read their comments and condolences. I was allowed a second trip back to Javits with more supplies with the two softball players and we made a side trip to FDNY Firehouse #1 where Mike Weinberg served and presented that 100 foot roll to the Firemen in honor of Mike. Tears flowed from them and us. They hung it outside of the firehouse along with a picture of Mike in his firemen’s gear. It still hangs there today on an inside wall.

 

[Marillac2]

On that day, I was in the training room when an athlete ran in telling us to turn on the TV. Quickly the room filled as we watched what was going on. Many followed me when we went to the top of the old football stadium where we had a clear view of the Towers as the fire continued. We went back inside to watch them come down. Immediately the Presidents office called me to an emergency meeting as I was on a 8 member Emergency Response Task Force.

We were told to prepare Alumni Hall as a Triage Center for the injured from Ground Zero. Cots were brought in and security started placing them on the court. Early on they realized there would be no injured coming, and the City requested to take over the arena as a temporary morgue. By 5 or 6 pm that was called off as no remains were being found.
The athletes were all in shock as we on the staff were. Our AD asked Coach Masur and I along with Fr Maher to lead a candlelight service for all the athletes right near the grassy area behind Alumni Hall. It was one of the toughest things Dave and I ever had to do. 400 crying athletes, many with no cell service to call their loved ones home or their parents to contact them.

The next few days were not much better as the news of how many alums we lost that day including our former baseball captain, Mike Weinberg from the FDNY. On Day 3 a call went out from the FDNY that they were in need of medical supplies, ice chests and water coolers. My staff and the volleyball team loaded up as much as we could fit into a cargo van. Gatorade told me to empty out my supply room of all coolers, ice chests and water bottles for the crews at Ground Zero and they would replace all. So I drove to the 107th precinct and got a special pass that allowed myself and two softball players to travel INTO NYC to the Javits center where the National Guard met us and unloaded everything and gave us another travel pass back to Queens campus.

The last thing we did was went to the local art store and bought a 100 foot roll of paper which we placed on the walls in the long hallway by the training room. We put out markers and every athlete and staff came by and wrote a message to the fallen, to people they never knew. And in whatever language from whatever country the athlete was from. So heartwarming to watch and read their comments and condolences. I was allowed a second trip back to Javits with more supplies with the two softball players and we made a side trip to FDNY Firehouse #1 where Mike Weinberg served and presented that 100 foot roll to the Firemen in honor of Mike. Tears flowed from them and us. They hung it outside of the firehouse along with a picture of Mike in his firemen’s gear. It still hangs there today on an inside wall. View attachment 3232

I was in Alumni Hall that day as well. I went straight from Marillac Hall (ironically) which was completely empty for class. Football practice was canceled and so was our game that week.

 

[Beasts of the East]

I know in the past this Site was “closed” (shutdown) on 9/11. In remembrance for those who passed away that day and the days and years later due to the after affects, and our Webmaster Paul.

Remembrance
WEDNESDAY
September 11, 2024

With gratitude and respect, I remember.

Today I honor those who have gone before me. Through my remembrances, I keep their unique contributions to my life and the world alive. Even though these dear ones may be gone from the world, they live in my memory and inspire me to keep living, loving, and growing.

Life goes on. I do not cling to my memories or hope to recapture the past, but I keep the best of those I've known and loved close to my heart.

I celebrate their memory, speak their names, and feel gratitude for the time we shared.

I allow the full expression of my emotions during these tender times. I may feel sad and vulnerable or joyous and peaceful. I don't judge myself, and I sit with my feelings for as long as I need to. With love in my heart, I remember.

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. -Psalm 112:6

That's absolutely beautiful, and I love your scripture quote. Thank you for sharing it.

My town lost about a dozen people. I knew only one very superficially, a brother of a classmate who still has season tickets. I wonder if St. Johns publishes a list of those we lost on that day? One town over, more than 50 perished. I felt like I had walked through a minefield, unscathed that no intimate family or friends had been murdered. I still grieved deeply for those.

My over arching emotion was and is anger over the inhumanity and destruction of innocent lives. That anger has morphed into sadness that a thinking human can become so callous about killing innocents.

I visited a Nazi concentration camp this past summer. RoomS in a building used to gas and then cremate victims has been transformed into memorials. blocks of granite listed all 80,000+ victims. Another room had bulletin boards with photos and obits attached by country of origin.

These are reminders why we can never let up against sponsors of terror. I won't let that sentiment poison 9-11 which is all about remembering those snuffed out, hero responders and the gaping hole their loss has left in the lives of friends and family.

We'd like to educate and reform those who would kill others in terrorist acts. But they also must be eliminated and not appeased. Life is too precious not to act mightily against those who kill.

God bless all those lost on 9/11 and the family and friends who still grieve.

 

[hersheypa]

I too was working in lower NYC.
My dear friend, FDNY Rich Sweeney was out injured that day and heard the news on his TV. He got his gear and threw it in his truck and headed to Manhattan on the Belt Parkway, stopping at the Battery Tunnel and ran with his gear to “the Site.”
Luckily for him he arrived after the collapse of the towers. Rich lost many close friends that day from his Squad 252 family, but remained at the Pile to search for and recover bodies for several weeks thereafter. He was the last uniformed firefighter on the site. At the request of his bosses, he shepherded family members to various agencies and organizations working with the survivor families.
God bless our heroes. God bless Rich Sweeney. God bless America. Never Forget.

Richard is my cousin. I told a less detailed version of this story to my son yesterday.

My dad grew up with the Sweeneys in Jackson Heights and was beside himself worried about Richard that day (he was with me in Hershey). He knew that if there was any way he could have gotten to the World Trade Center that he would have been right in the middle to help. It was a relief when we found out he was alive but also a horrible feeling to know that his brothers died. True heroes.

 

[fan since 65]

Although I was working in Midtown that day and wasn't near there, a salesman who worked for Dean Witter visited us that day after making his way up from the WTC. He was told to stay put after the first building was hit but having survived the 1993 attempt, he luckily left.

I was downtown a few blocks away in 1993 at a conference in a hotel, heard the explosion. Conference was cut short obviously. Walked my way up to 14th Street since the subways below that were suspended and eventually met my (future) wife at Hurley's to celebrate her birthday. No cell phones then either.

As for 2001, only person I knew first hand was a lifeguard from Rockaway who was a firefighter, Steve Belson, also a SJU season ticket holder.

My NYPD nephew was driving his boss down there that day and luckily found a building to run into as the towers collapsed.

I remember SJU had just taken over the College Of Insurance on Murray St. that spring (April?) and we attended the dedication and briefly thought about going up to the observation deck but it was getting late. That building became an important staging area on 9/11.

Working on Fifth and 44th I had to sometimes pass St. Patrick's depending on what subway I took; seemed like there was a funeral there evey other day.

 

[SJU85]

That's absolutely beautiful, and I love your scripture quote. Thank you for sharing it.

My town lost about a dozen people. I knew only one very superficially, a brother of a classmate who still has season tickets. I wonder if St. Johns publishes a list of those we lost on that day? One town over, more than 50 perished. I felt like I had walked through a minefield, unscathed that no intimate family or friends had been murdered. I still grieved deeply for those.

My over arching emotion was and is anger over the inhumanity and destruction of innocent lives. That anger has morphed into sadness that a thinking human can become so callous about killing innocents.

I visited a Nazi concentration camp this past summer. RoomS in a building used to gas and then cremate victims has been transformed into memorials. blocks of granite listed all 80,000+ victims. Another room had bulletin boards with photos and obits attached by country of origin.

These are reminders why we can never let up against sponsors of terror. I won't let that sentiment poison 9-11 which is all about remembering those snuffed out, hero responders and the gaping hole their loss has left in the lives of friends and family.

We'd like to educate and reform those who would kill others in terrorist acts. But they also must be eliminated and not appeased. Life is too precious not to act mightily against those who kill.

God bless all those lost on 9/11 and the family and friends who still grieve.

Apologies, I thought when I included the “Header” (Day and Date) that this was the devotional for 9/11 from the “Daily Word”. While I do write a devotional or two for my Parish’s Lenten series, there are not as good as this. I thought I would share it.

 

[Beasts of the East]

Apologies, I thought when I included the “Header” (Day and Date) that this was the devotional for 9/11 from the “Daily Word”. While I do write a devotional or two for my Parish’s Lenten series, there are not as good as this. I thought I would share it.

It was brilliantly written. If not by you, i still hold you in high regard for the content you provide here and tone and spirit

 

[bamafan]

This past Sunday’s edition of 60 Minutes did a great feature on 9/11 for the entire show almost all of it focused on NYC Fire Department.

 

[SJU85]

On that day, I was in the training room when an athlete ran in telling us to turn on the TV. Quickly the room filled as we watched what was going on. Many followed me when we went to the top of the old football stadium where we had a clear view of the Towers as the fire continued. We went back inside to watch them come down. Immediately the Presidents office called me to an emergency meeting as I was on a 8 member Emergency Response Task Force.

We were told to prepare Alumni Hall as a Triage Center for the injured from Ground Zero. Cots were brought in and security started placing them on the court. Early on they realized there would be no injured coming, and the City requested to take over the arena as a temporary morgue. By 5 or 6 pm that was called off as no remains were being found.
The athletes were all in shock as we on the staff were. Our AD asked Coach Masur and I along with Fr Maher to lead a candlelight service for all the athletes right near the grassy area behind Alumni Hall. It was one of the toughest things Dave and I ever had to do. 400 crying athletes, many with no cell service to call their loved ones home or their parents to contact them.

The next few days were not much better as the news of how many alums we lost that day including our former baseball captain, Mike Weinberg from the FDNY. On Day 3 a call went out from the FDNY that they were in need of medical supplies, ice chests and water coolers. My staff and the volleyball team loaded up as much as we could fit into a cargo van. Gatorade told me to empty out my supply room of all coolers, ice chests and water bottles for the crews at Ground Zero and they would replace all. So I drove to the 107th precinct and got a special pass that allowed myself and two softball players to travel INTO NYC to the Javits center where the National Guard met us and unloaded everything and gave us another travel pass back to Queens campus.

The last thing we did was went to the local art store and bought a 100 foot roll of paper which we placed on the walls in the long hallway by the training room. We put out markers and every athlete and staff came by and wrote a message to the fallen, to people they never knew. And in whatever language from whatever country the athlete was from. So heartwarming to watch and read their comments and condolences. I was allowed a second trip back to Javits with more supplies with the two softball players and we made a side trip to FDNY Firehouse #1 where Mike Weinberg served and presented that 100 foot roll to the Firemen in honor of Mike. Tears flowed from them and us. They hung it outside of the firehouse along with a picture of Mike in his firemen’s gear. It still hangs there today on an inside wall. View attachment 3232

I didn’t know Mike well but met him when I visited school one day and he was with a baseball player I knew who was a freshman my senior year.

I worked near MSG starting in the summer of 1999 and would take walks at lunch time and one day I wondered by the Engine 1/Ladder 24 house on West 31st Street across the street from St. Francis of Assisi Church. The doors were open and I recognized a guy I knew from my town standing in the doorway and we started chatting when Mike strolls over and recognizes me. We all chat for awhile until I had to head back. This occurred one or two other times.

After one of our games at MSG this season and post game drinks with some Section 114 and other members, my wife and I took a stroll and passed by Engine 1/Ladder 24 firehouse and the doors were open and we saw Mike’s picture and their memorial. We chatted with the guys for a few minutes, brought a t-shirt for our oldest (he is a volunteer fire fighter on LI).

For those not familiar with Mike’s actions on 9/11:

On September 11‚ he was waiting for his tee off time at Forest Park Golf Course‚ when he saw what happened‚ when the first plane hit Tower One. He was on vacation but raced from the clubhouse to the firehouse‚ Engine 1/Ladder 24. From there he drove Fr. Mychal Judge and Captain Dan Brethel (who also was off that day but rushed to the firehouse to get his equipment and to go down to the site). They arrived shortly before the collapse of Two Trade Center‚ and all three were killed.

 

[Beasts of the East]

I didn’t know Mike well but met him when I visited school one day and he was with a baseball player I knew who was a freshman my senior year.

I worked near MSG starting in the summer of 1999 and would take walks at lunch time and one day I wondered by the Engine 1/Ladder 24 house on West 31st Street across the street from St. Francis of Assisi Church. The doors were open and I recognized a guy I knew from my town standing in the doorway and we started chatting when Mike strolls over and recognizes me. We all chat for awhile until I had to head back. This occurred one or two other times.

After one of our games at MSG this season and post game drinks with some Section 114 and other members, my wife and I took a stroll and passed by Engine 1/Ladder 24 firehouse and the doors were open and we saw Mike’s picture and their memorial. We chatted with the guys for a few minutes, brought a t-shirt for our oldest (he is a volunteer fire fighter on LI).

For those not familiar with Mike’s actions on 9/11:

On September 11‚ he was waiting for his tee off time at Forest Park Golf Course‚ when he saw what happened‚ when the first plane hit Tower One. He was on vacation but raced from the clubhouse to the firehouse‚ Engine 1/Ladder 24. From there he drove Fr. Mychal Judge and Captain Dan Brethel (who also was off that day but rushed to the firehouse to get his equipment and to go down to the site). They arrived shortly before the collapse of Two Trade Center‚ and all three were killed.

There were many called heroes that day, and many who were victims acted heroically to help others in the towers and on the plane they crashed.

However, none stand taller in my eyes than the NYFD AND NYPD and other first responders including EMTs, many on their off day, to rush into an inferno trying to save others.

As much as our milirary fallen, and possibly even more, they acted without hesitation and in grave mortal danger in a race against time to rescue the thousands trapped. They left loved ones, wives, husbands, and children. Our nation should never forget them and 9/11 ceremonies should never become an imperative to show up at, rather with heartfelt sadness and profound gratitude for men and women who make this the greatest city on earth.