Newton Marks 19th Anniversary Of Sept. 11 Terror Attacks

NEWTON, MA — On Friday, police and fire departments across the country took a moment to remember the nearly 3,000 who died as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Newton, too, commemorated those who perished when hijacked planes attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93.

A group of about 50 people gathered in front of Newton Fire Department Headquarters at the city's Sept. 11 memorial, under a massive flag hanging from a fire truck.

"We got through it together," Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. "We came together to lift each other to support each other, to find a way to get through the unbearable together."

Amid the pandemic, Fuller said residents must come together to support both the survivors of that tragedy, but also neighbors dealing with the affects of the pandemic.

After a moment of silence, friends and family members of eight Newton residents lost in the attacks spoke about the lives of their loved ones.

In 2001, on Sept. 11, Newton's Mark Bavis was headed to LA. As a hockey scout he was looking for prospective players at the Los Angelas Kings training camp. Bavis died on flight United Airlines 175. His name is one of at eight engraved on a 9-11 memorial in Newton because of his strong ties to the community.

At least a dozen civilians were known to have died as a result of the attacks

• Mark Bavis,31, a Roslindale native who had recently moved to West Newton, was a hockey star at Catholic Memorial High School. He was onboard United Airlines 175.
• Paige Farley-Hackel, 46, was a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and was trying to get certification as a spiritual instructor. She was on board American Airlines Flight 11, heading to California to speak with radio producers about a radio show on spirituality called "Spiritually Speaking."

• Eric Hartono, originally from Indonesia, was reported to be a student in Newton who was moving to Los Angeles. He was on board United Airlines Flight 175.

• Nicholas Humber, 60, a resident of Auburndale. He was one of the first employees of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1971, and was instrumental in starting its waste management division. He was also on American Airlines Flight 11.

• Ariel Louis Jacobs, 29,was a newlywed, an expectant father, executive vice president of U.S. Operations of Caplin Systems, and the brother of Newton-resident Claudia Jacobs when he died in the World Trade Center. His first and only child was born six days after his death.
• Danny Lewin, 31, died on board American Airlines Flight 11. He lived in Newtonville with his wife and children. He founded Akamai Technologies, a website management system.
• Stuart Meltzer, 32, grew up in Newton Highlands and moved to Long Island not long before his death. He was remembered fondly by teachers and coaches at the Rivers School in Weston. He worked in energy management, with offices in the World Trade Center. He called his wife Lisa while the towers were building to tell her he loved her and to take care of the children.
• Richard B. Ross, 58, a resident of Oak Hill. He lived in Newton for 22 years, and had run a travel agency and a copy machine sales business before becoming a corporate consultant. He has a street named for him a block from Fenway Park. His family said he could walk into a room and light it up. "He was a great friend." He co-founded the Brain Tumor Society. He died on board American Airlines Flight 11.
• Jean, 55, and Don Peterson, 66, of Spring Lake, N.J. Jean was a retired nurse and nursing teacher, church and community volunteer. Don was a retired president, Continental Electric Co., church and community volunteer. The mother and stepfather of former Newton North Principal Jen Price were aboard United Flight 93.
• Rahma Salie, 28, and Michael Theodoridis, 32, were expecting their first child when they died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 on their way to a wedding in California. Salients graduated from Wellesley worked for an internet security company and he was a technology consultant. Their parents, Haleema and Ysuff Salie, live in West Newton.
• Clarin Siegel Schwartz, 51, was a tax lawyer and senior vice president at Aon Consulting Inc. in the World Trade Center. She was also a 1967 graduate of Newton South High School.
• Amy E. Toyen, 24, grew up in Avon, Conn., and moved to Newton in 1999. She was planning to get married in 2002. She was on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center at a trade show for her company, Thompson Financial Group. She called her fiancé at 8:58 a.m. He had just seen the caller id, when the call didn't go through. Her father said they had just bought her wedding dress.

Newton Sept. 11 Memorial Completed; Dedication Set (2012)

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