To mark the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) and City Councilmember Susan Zhuang (D—Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend, Dyker Heights, Boro Park and Sunset Park) held a memorial ceremony in Seth Low Park on the morning of September 11.

The solemn commemoration provided community members with the opportunity to recall the lives that were lost, and the heroism of the first responders at a local ceremony, where neighbors could grieve and remember together, 24 years after the horrific events that shook the city and the world.

In all, nearly 3,000 victims died in attacks on September 11, 2001 -- including not only those who simply went to work, that day, as they always did, but also the hundreds of first responders who perished trying to save lives – as well as the approximately 4,300 who have died since, of diseases brought on by the toxins in the air at Ground Zero.

Assemblyman Colton recalled the horrors of the day, as if it were yesterday and not nearly a quarter of a century ago. “I lived through the ashes and the papers, here in Brooklyn,” he told the gathered crowd. “We always say we must never forget the loved ones we lost, and the firefighters, police officers and first responders who rushed in to help, because that’s what they do. But, we must also remember the people in the street who rose to the moment, who helped strangers fleeing from Ground Zero, who were confused and just trying to get home.”

It's also important, Assemblyman Colton added, that Americans continue to tell the story of that day, so that those who were not yet born when the attacks occurred, or were too young to remember them, understand what happened, so the events of 9/11 don’t simply fade into the past. And, he stressed, “While we have got to remember the evil that was done that day, we also must remember all the people who joined the forces of good, and make sure that good triumphs, as it must.”

"It's essential we continue to honor those who lost their lives during the horrific attacks, and those who dedicated their lives and time to help New Yorkers rebuild," said Councilmember Zhuang. "I'm honored to attend and stand alongside the devoted leaders of our community to never forget 9/11."

Among the participants were students from nearby Seth Low Intermediate School, who formed a Color Guard and performed the National Anthem, as well as numerous local religious, civic and political leaders.