Newarkers paused Friday morning to remember the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"Twenty-five years later, we remember," Councilwoman Deborah Welch said. "We are here to remember and reflect on the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the first responders and military members who bravely rushed into danger, risking their lives for others, and the many civilian lives that were taken too soon. Additionally, let's not forget the more than 25,000 others who were harmed and injured near those sites."
The ceremony was held at Olan Thomas Park on Cleveland Avenue, which is home to a memorial garden that was dedicated three months after 9/11. The garden includes a plaque and three trees: a sugar maple to represent the victims in New York, an American dogwood to represent the victims at the Pentagon and an eastern hemlock to represent the victims in Pennsylvania.
"Though we solemnly highlight this day as one of the saddest in our nation's history, we also remind one another of the powerful heroism, the kindness, and the resiliency that our communities displayed in the face of hate and violence," said Welch, a retired Army National Guard captain.
Kevin Collaco, who is now an adjunct bus...