Sep. 11—WILKES-BARRE — Speaking at Thursday morning’s 9/11 ceremony in the rotunda of the Luzerne County Courthouse, Court of Common Pleas Judge Tina Gartley said anniversaries like this remind her that, while grief does not fade, neither does the strength of the human spirit.
“In the face of unimaginable devastation and loss at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a country came together, neighbors helped neighbors, and strangers became friends,” Judge Gartley said. “That spirit of unity remains a powerful lesson today.”
The ceremony featured a string quartet and a special “guest” — the 9/11 Memorial Flag was on display in the Luzerne County Courthouse rotunda in Wilkes-Barre for Thursday’s public remembrance ceremony. County sheriff deputies retrieved the flag, delivered by a Pennsylvania State Police trooper, on Wednesday evening and secured it for display under the direction of flag curator Thomas McBrien.
According to a description of the flag, it was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when people across the country looked for ways to “translate their grief into something positive.”
Volunteers in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and Hunterdon County, New Jersey, formed “United We Stand, United We Sew” to stitch together the flag honoring victims, their families, rescuers and military troops who battled the Global War on Terrorism.
Measuring 22-by-32 feet, it has nearly 3,000 small American flags representing each of the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93. It also contains approximately 86 flags from the origin countries of victims and flags from each of the first responder organizations that participated in the rescue and recovery.
Judge Gartley, with all the county’s judges behind her, said the ceremony was held to remember Sept. 11, 2001 — not only the unforgettable tragedy of that day, but also the courage, unity, and resilience that emerged from it.
“We honor the lives lost, the families forever changed, and the courage that rose from the smoke and sorrow of that day,” Judge Gartley said. “Not only the well-documented acts of courage on Sept. 11, but also the countless acts of quiet heroism that continue to inspire us more than two decades later.”
Judge Gartley said when she thinks back to that morning, she will never forget the tragedy and loss, but also the unmatched bravery.
“First responders rushing in and climbing smoke-filled stairwells, while others were descending,” she said. “Neighbors carrying neighbors. Ordinary people performing extraordinary acts of love, compassion, and courage. I know one of those ordinary people who extraordinarily was on her way down the stairs of the south tower when she stopped and went back. She and a partner in her firm went back to help those behind. She did not get a second chance to leave. She was my law school roommate — Joan Weil. An ordinary person performing an extraordinary act of courage.”
Gartley said firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and everyday Americans ran into smoke and fire, into collapsing towers, into danger they could not escape, “into the mouth of hell.”
She added, “And yet they ran forward. Simply because others needed them. Boldly they ran, boldly they climbed, and boldly they carried. Boldly many gave that last full measure. As President George W. Bush said in the days that followed, “One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in Americans’ history.”
Gartley said we must honor the charge the heroes of September 11th made.
“Honor the families who carry on,” she said. “Honor the resilience of people who refused to be broken. And honor the unity of a county that refused to allow evil to conquer an unquenchable thirst to love.”
Gartley added, “So let us honor this day not only with silence, and sadness, and reverence — but also with purpose. Let us carry forward the charge — not into battle like the 600 or into devastation and certain death like the heroes of 911, but into compassion, unity, and hope. Let us live in a manner that is worthy of the courage we remember and honor today.
“And as we leave this place, may we always remember that even in the darkest valleys — courage rides forward — and love endures.”
County Manager remarks
Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo opened the ceremony by telling of her experience on 9/11 when she was working for a Manhattan law firm in an office in the Empire State Building.
“I stand before you, recalling the dream I had fulfilled,” Crocamo said. “My office was on the 72nd floor of the Empire State Building. Every morning, I gazed out at a postcard view of my beloved New York City — a city forever pulsing with life, hope, and ambition. But that day, as I looked out, my world shattered in an instant. I watched, horrified, as the second plane struck the South Tower — an event that would change the fabric of my life, our nation, and the lives of countless individuals forever.”
Crocamo said she remembered the chaos, the fear, the uncertainty that followed.
“But amidst the darkness, I witnessed a remarkable unity,” Crocamo said. “We came together as a nation, standing shoulder to shoulder, embracing our shared humanity. In those moments of despair, we found strength in one another, demonstrating an unwavering resolve to rise above the tragedy.”
Crocamo also asked the crowd to consider the legacy to be left for future generations.
“We are here not only to mourn, but to reaffirm our commitment to peace, understanding, and compassion,” she said. “We owe it to the innocent lives taken that day and also to the young singers here today — not even born 24 years ago — who will inherit this world. They deserve a future unmarred by hatred and violence, a world where their dreams can flourish without fear.”
Crocamo said the memories of that day serve as a poignant reminder of our shared responsibility.
“We must strive to get it right — together,” she said. “Let us honor those we lost by embracing the values of kindness, compassion, and connection. Let us teach our children the power of love over fear, unity over division, and hope over despair.”
And Crocamo said as we remember, let us also act.
“Let us build bridges instead of walls, speak words of healing instead of anger, and extend our hands in friendship rather than isolation,” she said. “The road ahead may be long, but it is one we must travel together — for the sake of our children, for the innocence that must not be taken from them.
“Let us carry the spirit of resilience in our hearts, honoring those who lost their lives by living each day with purpose and love. May we find peace within ourselves and strive to create a world where peace reigns for all. For those we lost, let their enduring love span time and space dancing into the stars together.”
County Council Chair speaks
Luzerne County Council Chair John Lombard, a first responder for his entire adult life, said the fire service holds a special place in his heart.
“Not only because it is where I have found my full-time career, but also because it is where my uncle — my namesake, Captain John Lombardo — and West Pittston Firefighter Lenny Insalaco, gave their lives in order to fulfill a calling much bigger than themselves,” he said.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Lombardo said 343 Firefighters, 60 police officers, and 8 medics would fulfill their calling.
“Hundreds more would suffer the after effects of that day, with everything from severe PTSD, to cancer — and over 400 first responders have succumbed to those illnesses since that time, more than were killed that day,” Lombardo said. ” Sept. 11 was the biggest job in the history of the fire service. Firefighters, Police officers and medics, we don’t do this job for the money. We do it because we love to help people. We want to make a difference in the world.
“God bless the victims. God bless their families. God bless the survivors. And God Bless America.”
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.