The Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park played host Friday morning to a remembrance ceremony, marking the 14th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C.
As part of the ceremony, a bell was rung at 8:46 a.m. and later 9:03 a.m., the moments two of four commercial airliners hijacked by al Qaeda terrorists struck the towers of the World Trade Center. The first bell stopped keynote speaker Michael Adelizzio mid-sentence. Adelizzio, Assistant Special Agent in Charge with U.S. Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service, spoke of how 9/11 changed security procedures, including a new communication and culture of information sharing among agencies.
He also spoke of how the community came closer following the attacks.
"Western New York's the greatest family I have ever seen on the planet," he said. "City of Good Neighbors? Don't fool yourself. That's a true, true statement."
Those thoughts were echoed by Bishop Darius Pridgen, pastor at True Bethel Church and the Buffalo Common Council president. In his opening and closing prayers, he spoke of how the terrorists failed in their mission to divide Americans.
"That day brought us together," Pridgen said. "It showed the 'United' inthe words United States of America. For Black and White and Latino and Asian, all people came together to work together."
In addition to acknowledging the victims aboard the planes that struck the World Trade Center towers, speakers during the ceremony recognized those who died on the plane that struck the Pentagon as well as those aboard the plane which was forced down in a Pennsylvania field.
