Ken Adams had a job in Brooklyn in 2001 and on Sept. 11, with his wife home sick, it was his turn to pick up their daughter from school.
He was late getting there, one of the last parents to arrive, and he remembers walking into the class and there was only his daughter and a little girl standing next to the teacher.
"I looked at her and she looked at me and we had the same thought at the same time," Adams recalled. "There will be some children whose parents won't be picking them up today."
Adams, the commissioner of Empire State Development, was in Batavia today for the Sept. 11 memorial ceremony, representing Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
During a brief speech, Adams described what it was like in New York City on 9/11 -- from walking his daughter home on a bright, clear blue-sky day, but with the acrid smell of the fallen twin towers in the air, to the office paper ashes falling in their small Brooklyn back yard.
"I remember getting home, looking at my little girl and thinking, 'No one knows how to tell a 6-year-old girl about evil," Adams said.
The ceremony included remarks by Council President Marianne Clattenburg, Legislator Ed DeJaneiro, State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Sheriff Gary Maha.
On 9/11, Maha, along Deputy Ron Meides and another member of the department traveled to NYC to help with the relief efforts.
Maha described helping with relief efforts and visiting ground zero and seeing the devastation of the terrorist attacks.
"It's heartwarming to see everybody here today paying respect to those who lost their lives on Sept. 11," Maha said.
Adams said it's important that the country, and New York, not forget what happened on 9/11, and that we teach our children about the "brutal facts" of that day.
Remembering, he said, will provide lessons and teach us about unity.
"We are bound together in our grief over the tragedy of Sept. 11," Adams said. "We are bound by our resolve never to let Sept. 11 fade from our memories."
UPDATE: Video from WBTA.
Sept 11th is a very hard day
Sept 11th is a very hard day for me to deal with. I was just a few blocks from Ground Zero when the first plane hit. I had a friend Gary Samsel who was new to a queens fire station just over the bridge. My boss and I were having breakfast in a small alley sized chinese place in Chinatown, when the first hit occurred it was like a little tremor and a big boom like a dumpster being dropped from a 2nd story.
I ended up walking up there in time to see the second plane hit then my phone rang it was Gary asking me if I was still in Chinatown, when I told him where I was he told me they were on their way up there and not to go too close, it was a bit late for that as I already saw and heard the jumpers. He was assigned to crowd control and my Boss brother and I tried to help a little (Gary and I served together in the Navy) But when the first building began to collapse we all were out of there and into the big bank entrance that was there nearby, he then went to help his fellow workers and I and my bosses brother left to walk across the bridge to Queens.
It was like being trapped in a big disaster movie and all of us have never been the same. I hate hearing the truthers try to tell us those werent planes but missiles, and that the buildings were blown up. I'm sorry but as anyone that was there can tell you. they collapsed. The how and why dont matter anymore, Osama took credit and got his just reward recently but it doesnt balance the scales as far as the damage done to the american psyche. I know i will never forget that day, I have only been back once in my lifetime a few days before the last bit of wreckage was pulled out. I cannot be there, walk by that wall of missing posters or stand on that observation platform without weeping as if I suffered a personal loss. (which in a way I did as did we all) I dont think I will ever be back to that place again. Please fly your flags in rememberance as I plan to just because its the right thing to do to recognize the loss and our support for the idea of what America stands for, it might not be so great right now but it can be again someday.
Thank you
Please remember a prayer too
Please remember a prayer too this Sunday while you are in your church's services. For those who left us and those left behind.
AARP is commemorating 9/11 by
AARP is commemorating 9/11 by sponsoring Create the Good House Parties across the United States. The National Day of Remembrance and Service will be honored at 400 Towers on Monday, Sept. 12 from 9am to 11am by holding a “create the good' food drive to benefit the Salvation Army's Food Pantry.
We are pleased that we were one of 8000 sites, nationwide, to host a party. Please feel free to drop by Monday morning and help us “Create the Good”. Join us for coffee, add your food items to the table, take a look at other “create the good” ongoing projects we have (Genesee Co. Nursing Home and All Babies Cherished).
SAMPLE FOOD LIST
Non-perishable foods
Canned proteins (tuna, salmon, chicken, peanut butter) peanuts, etc.
Canned fruits in their own juices or light syrup (pineapples, peaches, and pears)
100% Fruit juices (all sizes including juice boxes)
Grains (pasta, whole wheat pasta, rice, brown rice, macaroni and cheese) bags of beans: black, pink,
kidney, etc.
Condiments (tomato based sauces, light soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, light salad dressings) Goya
powder condiments; salt; sugar (brown)
Low sodium/ No salt added canned vegetables (mixed, green beans, corn) beans: black, pink, kidney,
etc.
Soups (beef stew, chili, chicken noodle, turkey rice)
Multigrain cereal (Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Grape-Nuts, Raisin Bran)