STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A powerful tribute to the FDNY and the victims of September 11 took place on Staten Island Wednesday, as firefighters, retirees and families gathered to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
The ceremony was held outside the Staten Island FerryHawks stadium, owned by John Catsimatidis, and featured a New York City fireboat water salute and two FDNY ladder trucks displaying a large American flag. Flags were placed along the stadium fence beside the names of firefighters who died on 9/11, as well as those who have died in the years since from illnesses connected to their work at Ground Zero.
For many families, the ceremony was deeply personal. And that is an important part of the story 25 years later — the loss did not end on September 11th.
Hundreds of firefighters and their family members continue to deal with the physical and emotional consequences of the response and recovery effort.
The ceremony ended with a pledge to remember those who died that day — and those who have died in the years since. Twenty-five years later, the FDNY family continues to remember, honor and never forget.