23 Years Later, Morris County Continues to Pledge to “Never Forget”

Annual 9/11 Ceremony Draws a Large Crowd on Sunday

More than 200 residents, first responders, and public officials gathered on Sunday evening for the 23rd Annual Morris County 9/11 Remembrance ceremony at the Morris County 9/11 Memorial in Parsippany-Troy Hills.

It was a crisp, clear day, reminiscent of September 11, 2001, when nearly 3,000 Americans were killed, including 64 from Morris County, due to the cowardly terrorist attacks on our nation.

Dr. Brian Mignola, Deputy Chief Surgeon of the New York Police Department, delivered unscripted, poignant remarks, reflecting on his role in assisting victims on 9/11 and his ongoing work addressing the long-term health needs of those affected. He also shared the personal loss of many friends to 9/11-related illnesses, as he continues to care for first responders.

Keynote Speaker Dr. Brian Mignola [Watch Here]

Full Event [Watch here]

“As we mark the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, we must ensure that these memories never fade. Time takes an unwelcome toll on things we thought we would collectively remember forever. Morris County remembers. The attacks of 9/11 cannot slip into the haze of our collective memory,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, who provided welcome remarks.

View Photos from the 2024 Morris County 9/11 Ceremony

The ceremony opened with a solemn procession of area police, fire, and emergency personnel, along with the U.S. Naval Cadet Sea Corps out of Picatinny Arsenal, accompanied by the Police Pipes & Drums of Morris County. The event featured an invocation by Rev. George Dredden of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark and a candle-lighting ceremony in which the names of the 64 Morris County residents lost that day were read aloud while Fire Marshal James Davidson struck a bell.

Musical tributes were provided by the Morris Choral Society, with interludes by Darren O’Neill and Ereni Sevasti. The commissioners were joined by U.S. Representatives Tom Kean Jr. and Mikie Sherrill, Sheriff James Gannon, Prosecutor Robert Carroll, County College of Morris President Anthony Iacono, and many local officials in honoring the victims and their families, who were present at the ceremony. The event reaffirmed Morris County’s pledge to “never forget.”

Commissioner John Krickus closed the ceremony, inviting a standing ovation for the first responders.

“America is strongest when we are united, and 9/11 generated a sense of unity and purpose that we would overcome that tragic day by standing together. Passions may fade with time, but let us draw on that wellspring of unity, as we face new challenges from foreign enemies, and not let our differences here divide us,” said Commissioner Krickus. “Remember the lives lost, the heroism we witnessed, and most importantly, that each day is a gift. God bless America.”