New York Post By Khristina Narizhnaya, Lorena Mongelli and Lia Eustachewich
Hundreds of mourners gathered in Lower Manhattan Friday to mark the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks — a somber remembrance that looked different this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, yet was still marked by the enduring sentiments of honor, respect and heartache for the nearly 3,000 killed that day.
Bag pipers marched to a single snare drum alongside an honor guard that carried a large American flag during the procession, as many held flowers and carried photos of their lost loved ones.
“It means everything to me [to be here today],” said Anthony Gambardella, 55, who fought in the Iraq War and works for Lockheed Martin. “I’m a 28-year vet and I’m here on behalf of all veterans and family members of all who lost family members on this day.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about what happened 19 years ago. Just knowing it could happen any day to any of us,” Gambardella added, while standing on the outskirts of the plaza. “But kudos to the government and the military for protecting New York and all of us.”
Under cloudy skies that eventually gave way to sunshine, the first bell tolled at 8:46 a.m. — commemorating when American Airlines flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
As a moment of silence was held, the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.
This year’s memorial event was significantly different from years’ past, as the nation continues to battle the COVID-19 crisis.
Event organizers nixed the annual live reading of the names of the 2,983 men, women and children killed in the attacks at the Twin Towers, Pentagon and aboard Flight 93, as well as those who died in the February 26, 1993 WTC bombing. Pre-recorded audio with soft background music was used instead.
In a bid to control crowd sizes, only family members of victims and dignitaries were allowed into the plaza, with the event live-streamed online. The video, however, showed hundreds of mostly-masked people in close proximity.
“I still remember that September morning,” de Blasio tweeted. “A beautiful day shattered by unconscionable evil. The heroes who stepped up for their home. New Yorkers finding strength in one another. 19 years later, we pause to reflect on September 11, 2001 and honor those we lost.”
Public officials, including Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence, former Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, were in attendance.
As usual, six moments of silence were held: twice to mark the times that each hijacked plane struck the North Tower and South Tower (8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m.), twice to mark the times when each tower fell (9:59 a.m. and 10:28 a.m.), and to mark the moments of the attack on the Pentagon (9:37 a.m.) and the crash of the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pa. (10:03 a.m.).
White roses were tucked into the names carved into the bronze parapets that surround the plaza’s twin reflecting pools.
A trio of mourners, including one holding flowers and an American flag, sobbed and hugged each other as the name of their loved one — Nereida De Jesus — was read aloud.
Gregory Hoffman’s twin brother Stephen Hoffman worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the North Tower when he was killed.
“My identical twin was one of 46 twins who died that day,” said Gregory, who attended this year’s ceremony with another brother, Francis. “Every year we come down and do our pilgrimage here. One of the few positives is that we met a lot of wonderful people.”
A week before the terror attacks, Stephen took his daughter Madeleine to kindergarten.
“And now she is 24 and works as a kindergarten teacher,” Gregory said. “We try to look at the blessings, there are always silver linings.”
Gregory said he thought twice about coming to this year’s event.
“The anniversary is always different. This year it’s very intense. I was even thinking of not coming down because of the possibility of protesters being out here, yelling,” he said. “I hope people can remember things that unite us as opposed to divide us.”
The 9/11 Memorial Museum will open its doors on Friday for the first time in six months since shuttering amid the pandemic — first to victims’ families then to the general public on Saturday.
Capacity will be reduced to 25 percent and visitors must wear masks at all times.
Earlier on Friday, President Trump issued a proclamation declaring 9/11 as “Patriots Day,” ordering flags to be flown at half-staff and Americans to observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m.
He was scheduled to deliver remarks in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed.
“In 2001, our Nation, united under God, made an unbreakable promise never to forget the nearly 3,000 innocent Americans who were senselessly killed on September 11th,” the proclamation said.
“This Patriot Day, we commemorate the lives of those who perished on September 11, 2001, we pray for the families who carry on their legacies, and we honor the unmatched bravery of our Nation’s first responders,” the proclamation says. “We also commend those who, in the days and years following the attack, answered the call to serve our country and continue to risk their lives in defense of the matchless blessings of freedom.”
Pence and the second lady also attended a memorial held by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation around the corner on Liberty Street, where relatives read aloud the names of victims as the Ground Zero event simultaneously played out.
“After 19 years, the pain is still greater than ever,” said Elizabeth Jordan Kobel, whose brother, firefighter Andrew B. Jordan, died after running into the North Tower. “Andrew was a brother, a son, father, a husband and an American hero.
“Despite the fear and the danger, he ran in to save people. His desire to save people was greater than anything.”