Essex County 9/11 remembrance ceremony to be livestreamed

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The annual “Essex County Remembers,” a solemn ceremony at the Essex County Eagle Rock Sept. 11th Memorial that will mark the 19th anniversary of the tragedies in New York; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania, will be held remotely and livestreamed on the Essex County website and social media channels. Eagle Rock Reservation will be closed to the public from 5 to 10 a.m. while the ceremony is being held.

The ceremony will be livestreamed beginning at 8 a.m. on Essex County’s website at www.essexcountynj.org and Facebook at “Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr.,” the county executive’s page.

“After the attacks, people spontaneously came to Eagle Rock Reservation to view the tragedy unfold at the Twin Towers and leave cards, letters, photos and flowers in an impromptu memorial in honor of their loved ones. I knew immediately that this was the natural location for a memorial because of the public attraction to this site and the unparalleled view of the World Trade Center from the lookout area,” DiVincenzo said. “Our Sept. 11th Memorial is a special place for people to come for solace and comfort because of its unique location and its powerful message of peace and hope.

“The events of Sept. 11th changed our lives, just as the coronavirus. Even though we are still living with this pandemic, it is important that we continue to remember those who lost their lives,” DiVincenzo said.

A brief program with family members who lost a loved one in the tragedies, elected officials and clergy members from diverse religious faiths will be held at 8 a.m. Memorial wreaths will be laid at the monument and a new American flag will be raised. A string quartet will perform reverent selections of music at the memorial site after the ceremony until 2 p.m.