By Kristie Cattafi The Gazette (Hawthorne Edition)
Hawthorne unveiled its 9/11 memorial on the 12th anniversary of the terroristic attacks. Photos/Kristie Cattafi
The borough received a 24-foot beam from the World Trade Center in 2011. The beam is now placed in the memorial, located at 970 Goffle Road between the Hawthorne Volunteer Ambulance Corps building and Fire Rescue 5 headquarters. The project was a public-private partnership that raised more than $83,000 and garnered thousands more in donated services.
“May you come visit it often and may it bring you peace,” Mayor Richard Goldberg said to the residents in attendance at the memorial.The memorial centered around the beam includes four granite monuments representing the public and the three branches of emergency services – police fire and ambulance corps. The memorial for Sal Zisa Jr., the only Hawthorne resident who perished in the 9/11 attacks, was also relocated to the new location with the steel beam. The flag that was raised during the ceremony was a flag that was from the Pentagon, which Goldberg said was Hawthorne’s way to honor the victims at the Pentagon 12 years ago.
The keynote speaker at the memorial service was former Hawthorne resident and former Paterson Mayor Lawrence “Pat” Kramer. Kramer saluted the Zisa family and said it was honor to speak at such an event.
“I speak on this day for those who can speak no more,” Kramer said. “For those who had their lives stolen by terror and their families forced to live on without them.”
Kramer said the memorial is another diamond in Hawthorne’s accomplishments and reminder that the borough will never forget what happened.
The four granite monuments were unveiled by the Hawthorne fire department, police department, ambulance corps and Ed McGuirk, a Hawthorne resident who escaped from one of the towers, to represent the public.
Hawthorne’s emergency services also participated in a candle lighting ceremony along with the Zisa family. The Zisa family placed roses in front of the memorial for Sal Zisa as part of a tradition.
The service also included the Boys Scout Troop 85, the Girl Scouts of the Goffle Brook Service Unit, Sen. Bob Gordon, Pastor Jim Bushoven of the Hawthorne Gospel Church, Rabbi Jonathon Woll, Lt. Peter Terrizzi and special music was provided by Hawthorne residents Jeff Kievit and Ernest Revell.
Hawthorne also gave special thanks to the Rotary Club for spearheading the 9/11 memorial committee, the Hawthorne PBA, the Hawthorne Fire Department, the Hawthorne Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Richard Wostbrock of LAN Associates, Kevin Downes of Downes Tree Service, Marco Totaro of Shear Contracting, John Occhipinti of Field of Dreams Landscaping, Jerry Bedrin, Pieter Slump, John Marsh, Hank Ringma and all of the sponsors.
