Dean of Student Services Sarah Gager led the memorial introducing NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis who reminded us that we must never forget September 11. Faculty, staff, and student readers included Samuel Johnson, a counselor from the Center for Academic Planning and Student Success (CAPSS); Abimelec Salgado, SGA Secretary; Ana Cruz, SGA Secretary; and Bonnie Goulet, Director of CAPSS. William Carleton, Diversity Recruitment, Advising & Retention Specialist from CAPSS led the group in a rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

The program was a tribute to the number of people directly affected by this first assault on America. The victims’ ages ranged from 2 to 85 years.  On September 11^th, 2,753 people died at the World Trade Center in New York. In Washington, the Pentagon attack resulted in 184 deaths, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 40 casualties were caused by the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93. The casualties included 343 New York Firefighters, 23 New York Police Officers, and 37 Port Authority Officers (CNN Library). 

In America, adversity brings people together and they express an intense ability to help each other when tragedy strikes.  The buildings have been replaced or repaired; however, the lives of the people lost—family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, responders, and parishioners—should never be forgotten.