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Senator Debicella stands with Governor M. Jodi Rell during a 9/11 Memorial in Westport
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Last week at Connecticut’s 9/11 Memorial in Westport, I was reminded of just how much that tragic day impacted our community. At Connecticut’s official ceremony remembering the victims of the twin towers, the reading of the 156 names of Fairfield County residents who died that day meant there was not a dry eye at the memorial. The families and friends of those who lost their lives that day laid flowers at the names of their beloved, and our entire community remembered the worst tragedy of recent times.
The ceremony moved me in unexpected ways. It reminded me just how many families in our community continue to live with 9/11 every day, and the number of ways others in our towns have come out to help those who lost loved ones.
For many of us, 9/11 has become removed from our everyday lives. It is hard to believe that it happened eight years ago. While we all remember the attack on America and how our country pulled together afterwards, that spirit has been clouded by the passage of time. The controversial Iraq war and continued fighting in Afghanistan came to be the center of our political discourse, and the horrors of 9/11 were not the center of discussion.
But for the 156 Connecticut families who lost love ones, not a day goes by that they do not remember that day. As I spoke with members of these families, what struck me was the amazing strength they had developed in the face of such loss. While they all spoke fondly of their lost loved ones—and each of them had a story to tell—they also told me about how the community had rallied around them to help them through the unthinkable.
What also struck me was the number of people from our community at the memorial service who did not know anyone in the twin towers, but were still moved eight years later to come out to remember them. About half of the crowd of 300 people did not have relatives in the twin towers. They were people from the community who wanted to show there support, their solidarity with the families. To show they remembered. These people evoked the spirit that all of us shared in those days after 9/11. It was the lesson I took away, to try to keep that spirit of unity and cooperation throughout the year.
Governor Rell at the ceremony said, “We cannot end grief. We can only accept it, share it and endure it. But by our resolve, our commitment to remember and learn and improve, we continue to thwart those who hoped to break us down.” I take the Governor’s words to heart, and hope we can all keep that resolve and unity throughout the year.
Dan Debicella is the State Senator representing Stratford, Shelton, Monroe, and Seymour. If you have feedback for him or want to talk about the issues, he can be reached toll-free at (800) 842-1421 or by e-mail at dan.debicella@cga.ct.gov
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