‘We won’t forget’: Families of 9/11 victims
grieve and honor loved ones in Manhattan
BY TODD MAISEL
Emotions were still raw at the 9/11 Memorial and
Museum Friday, 19 years after 2,977 people were
killed in the coordinated terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines
Flight 93.
The emphasis though for most was “never forget,” which
seemed to echo even louder this year amid the ongoing
tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Families placed fl owers, photos, and other knickknacks
on the etched names of their loved ones on the walls of
the 9/11 Memorial North and South Pools as they have in
the past — some renewed their vows to make sure the lost
were not forgotten. The pools represent the location of the
former Twin Towers.
PHOTOS BY TODD MAISEL
Lucrezia Susca, lost her daughter Grace in the
south tower.
Lucrezia Susca lost her daughter Grace in the South
Tower nearly two decades ago on that fateful Tuesday
morning. She sat in a chair and listened to the recorded
names read at the site.
“I loved her – I come here every year, and will keep
coming here every year,” Susca said.
Stephanie Lachman and family stood next to her
dad’s name, Amarnauth Lachman and his construction
partner Andrew James Knox, both killed
while working in the South Tower.
Stephanie Lachman stood next to the names of her father,
Amarnauth Lachman, and his construction partner,
Andrew James Knox, both killed while working in the
South Tower. She said she would continue to come to make
sure her father was remembered.
Marie Fisher sat in a wheelchair, determined to make
sure the public remembered her son, Andrew.
“He was in the North Tower, he wasn’t supposed to be
there but he was at conference at Windows on the World.
We won’t forget him, and we will keep coming,” said Marie
Fisher, who noted that she had met former Vice President
Marie Fisher sat in a wheelchair, determined to
make sure the public remembered her son Andrew.
(and current presidential candidate) Joe Biden, who took
part in Friday’s ceremony. She got to take a picture with
him.
Joanna Barbara, wife of Chief Jerry Barbara, remembered
her husband and his response to the attacks. Daily
News photographer David Handschuh snapped a photo of
the chief on that day, staring up at the burning World Trade
Center; she made the picture into a button.
“He went into the Marriott, his radio didn’t work. An
aide went to get a new radio from trunk of the car, and
that was the last he was seen. He was never recovered and
Joanna Barbara remembers her husband, Chief
Jerry Barbara at the 9-11 memorial ceremony on
the 19th anniversary.
we had no remains,” she sighed. “I’ve been doing this now,
for 19 years, and I’m here every single time on Sept. 11.”
Joanna was disappointed that the names weren’t read
live at the 9/11 Memorial. The live-reading was canceled
this year due to concerns over the potential spread of COVID
19. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
conducted a live reading Friday morning near Zuccotti
Park in Lower Manhattan.
“The names have to be read, and they are individuals.
It’s unfortunate that when you are part of the government,
then you are part of the state and the city, and part of the
FDNY – but really you are an individual and everyone here
has an individual loss and that should be recognized,” she
said. “We lost someone, and sometimes we don’t want to
share that loss with everyone. Not only did we lose our
loved ones, but our privacy.”
Tamiya Lee, wife of the late NYPD Detective Jeffrey
Alan Lee who died of 9/11 related cancer, took a selfi e
with Vice President Biden, who was there with his wife
Jill at the ceremony.
Young firefighters show respect for their dead
brethren that they are now part.
“Jeffrey was a 9/11 responder who passed away from
9/11 related disease and he should be remembered always
as a wonderful man, human being and an excellent New
York City cop. We love the NYPD – they are our family,”
Tamiya Lee said.
Barbara Noboa was honoring family friends who died
on 9/11 she brought her young daughter Charlie Vasquez
“We are here to honor them,” she said, adding that her
daughter will be “the next story teller, she tells everybody.”
“I know the building fell and a few people died,”
Vazquez said.
“That’s what she knows – we will wait till she’s a little
older, right Charlie,” Noboa said.
While many were happy to share memories of their loved
ones, others spent the time quietly in their own thoughts.
Firefighters and police salute those lost on 9/11.
Some were fi refi ghters, a few rookies, too young to remember
the day clearly.
Flowers adorned the pool memorials. Many family members
vowed to return for the 20th anniversary next year –
some saying it was necessary for a live-reading of the names.
Edwin Mendez said he would be back for his nephew
with his family, to honor not only his nephew Firefi ghter
Ruben Correa, but his cousin Isaac Cortes, killed in Iraq
subsequently.
“We will keep coming back every year and we will not
let him be forgotten,” Mendez said after laying a photo
montage of his nephew on the ground with his family and
friends.
Charlie Vasquez places flowers in place of friends
of her father’s.
4 Sept. 17, 2020 Schneps Media