Mayor's Speech Highlights 'Twin Tragedies​' In Sept. 11, Pandemic

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Town of Westfield once again hosted a remembrance ceremony looking back at the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

In this year's ceremony, town mayor Shelly Brindle tied current events to those from 19 years prior, highlighting the "twin tragedies" of 9/11 and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Here's what she had to say:

Thank you all for being here this evening. In these uncertain times, it’s even more important to come together as a community to remember our collective loss 19 years ago, and to honor the lives we lost that day, the heroes who looked after us and the enduring spirit of our country. We must never forget.

I want to especially recognize and thank Monsignor Thomas Nydegger, Rabbi Victor Appell and Rev. Alison VanBuskirk Philip for their participation and prayers. We are grateful that you can be with us.

Few could have imagined how the world has changed since we gathered here together one year ago. No one here on that beautiful September evening could have predicted that in the coming months, we would be confronted with a global pandemic that has paralyzed our nation and brought our way of life to a screeching halt. Battling a deadly virus was the furthest thing from our minds when we gathered together here last year.

But in our grief for friends, family and neighbors who we've lost to COVID, we find comfort and solace in the everyday heroism that our doctors, nurses, police, firefighters and EMTs have exhibited since the outbreak. These incredible people have put themselves in harm’s way in order to help the most vulnerable in their hour of need. Ignoring their own fears and concerns, these extraordinary, selfless heroes have risked their own lives...and in so doing, have saved thousands more.

Sound familiar? It should, because the last time our nation has seen this same courage, bravery and resilience was on 9/11, a day that is forever etched in our memories and one that we will never forget. We pause today and remember the nearly 3,000 of our fellow Americans – including 12 of our friends and family from Westfield – whom we lost on that tragic day.

Americans are at our best when our backs are against the wall and we come together for a cause greater than ourselves. 9/11 was such a day. We all remember how beautiful the day was – clear blue sky, ideal temperature, a perfect 10. We knew exactly where we were when the first plane hit the World Trade Center and then the second. And when the plane hit the Pentagon, we knew right away that this nation was under a full-scale terrorist attack.

In the days and weeks that followed, our nation came together in ways few could imagine. While we grieved deeply for those we lost and searched tirelessly for the missing, we also began looking after each other and rebuilding our nation because in America, we never, ever give up. In times of national despair, our character and kindness shine.

There are those who say COVID-19 is this generation’s 9/11. I will let the historians make that determination. This current moment of crisis, some 19 years later, of course differs in some obvious respects and yet finds our nation tested once again in unimaginable ways. But let me assure you that the American spirit will prevail over the coronavirus. We’ve seen it over and over again in our own community.

For one man, the twin tragedies took on a personal meaning.

On 9/11, Stephen Cooper, an electrical engineer from New York, was delivering documents near the World Trade Center when a police officer told him to run. The south tower of the World Trade Center had collapsed, and Cooper was fleeing the onslaught of smoke and debris.

Unbeknownst to Cooper, an Associated Press photographer captured the precise moment when the billowing smoke came charging toward him as he carried a manila envelope under his left arm. The photograph appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, and visitors can now view this famous picture at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York.

Cooper’s identity was unknown to most people, including the photographer who snapped the photo. But this past July, the nation and world finally learned his name when the media reported that Cooper had died in Florida in late March.

His cause of death was COVID-19.

This serves as a reminder that we are all connected by shared experiences, whether it be the horrific events of 9/11 or the enduring suffering of this pandemic.

Yes, this 9/11 remembrance is different than any other we’ve experienced. The masks you are wearing and social distancing you are practicing are proof of how different this year is. But our nation’s character is always tested in times of challenge, and we will never forget those who lost their lives on 9/11. The resilience of the families they left behind provide hope and inspiration for us as we confront our own fears today. In Westfield, we will always remember:

May God continue to bless you and look over you, and may God Bless this great community and the United States of America.