TOMS RIVER – Ocean County officials, law enforcement, clergy and community members gathered at the county government complex to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the 19 residents from Ocean County who never returned home.
Led by Commissioner Deputy Director Frank Sadeghi, the ceremony included remarks from county and state leaders, a wreath-laying at the county’s Sept. 11 Memorial and War on Terror Memorial, and performances by the Ocean County Vocational Technical Schools Performing Arts Academy Choir.
“Today we gather to honor the lives lost on that day, we gather to remember the families left behind and pay tribute to the 19 residents of our own community who never came home,” Sadeghi said. “We gather to reaffirm our solemn promise, our vow, that we will never forget.”
Those in attendance included Commissioners Robert S. Arace, Jennifier Bacchione and Virginia E. Haines, Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer, Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, Surrogate Jeff Moran, Acting Clerk John Catalano, State Sen. Carmen F. Amato Jr., Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, Assemblyman Gregory Myhre and numerous county employees and residents.
Retired Lt. Col. Brian McCarthy of the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing and Vincent Camporeale, director of the county’s Office of Veterans Services, joined in placing wreaths at the memorials.
This year marked the 24th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93, as well as the continued toll of 9/11-related illnesses among survivors and first responders.
