Dear Friends,
Today marks the 24th anniversary of the horrific events of September 11, 2001, when almost 3,000 people were killed in the terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93.
Please join me in taking a moment to reflect on 9/11, and to honor the lives lost on that day, including members of the LaGuardia community. We remember former students Carlos Lillo (FDNY-EMS, Battalion 49), Ricardo Quinn (FDNY, Paramedic, Battalion 57), and James N. Pappageorge (FDNY Engine Co. #23), as well as EMS instructor Kathy Mazza-Delosh, CIC, RN (Port Authority Police Captain).
Let’s also remember and honor the bravery and sacrifices of the first responders who died in the line of duty, and of the more than 2,000 individuals that have died since 9/11 as a result of illnesses contracted at or near Ground Zero.
To those of you who lost loved ones on 9/11 please receive our heartfelt sympathy.
At this point, twenty-four years later, we have many students born after the attacks who have limited personal connections to 9/11. Of course, they may know about the events from their classes, news media, or family members and friends. As educators, New Yorkers, and Americans, we have an obligation to tell the story of 9/11, to teach this history, and preserve a collective memory of that tragic day.
Let this solemn occasion remind us of the importance of kindness for one another, of our commitment to building an inclusive and loving community, and of our obligation to serve others in need.
Never forget.
Kenneth Adams
President