Located Across from Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater Westbury, NY 11590. The Patriot Garden Memorial is located at the north end of the pond inside Eisenhower Park.

25 years ago, our lives changed forever (now, I know this is how almost every article begins that you will read regarding the 9/11 attacks) but, how else could we begin? This was the deadliest attack historically, on US soil and to this day the first responders are losing their lives to 9/11 related illnesses. If you ask anyone where they were that day, I know they will recall. I was sitting in my 10th grade economics class when we heard the news from another teacher who ran in to tell my teacher. in 2001 not everyone had a cell phone and we did not have access to social media or even access to many televisions throughout the school to even see the live coverage. I remember hearing so many people crying not knowing if their parents were okay who worked in the city or the spouses of the teachers who were working in the city were okay. The feeling of uncertainty is what I recall and when I finally got home and turned on the tv and saw all the devastation in the city we call home I remember just crying. When my mom got home from work (she worked locally to our home in Suffolk County) she just held me crying saying how scared she was because even though we are 55 miles away from the Twin Towers we had no idea what was happening and if there would be anymore tragedy. So much happened that morning and since there was two planes that flew into the Twin Towers and a third plane that crashed into the Pentagon in Virginia and then the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania after those brave passengers revolted, everyone wondered would there be another plane? We have family and friends that worked in the city and I remember my mom on the phone checking to hear if everyone was okay. As I type these words I cannot help but cry. I think of all the lives lost that day and how scared everyone on the planes must have been and their loved ones who still mourn those who died on this tragic day.

Patriot Day (September 11th) is a day of remembrance and a great way to honor those whose lives were lost that day is to display an American flag and at 8:46 am (Eastern Daylight Time) to have a moment of silence and say a prayer. At that time is when the first plane , American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Here on Long Island, you can visit the Nassau County 9/11 Memorial

“Two bright shining aluminum towers representing the World Trade Center sitting atop a cascading fountain. Two pieces of steel from the wreckage of 9/11 have been incorporated into the design of the memorial as well as a wall naming the victims and several plaques detailing the events that took place in New York City, Shanksville, PA, Washington, DC. Eisenhower Park stretches over 900 serene acres and is also home to Firefighters and Veterans memorials. It lists the names of the 344 people from Nassau County who died in the attacks.”- 911 Living Memorial

25th Anniversary Mass of Remembrance – September 11, 2026

Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island will be celebrating a special Mass as part of the 25th year remembrance of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The Mass will be celebrated outdoors at Cemetery of the Holy Rood on Friday, September 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM by the cemetery’s September 11th Memorial, which serves as a place of solace, reflection and tribute to the lives that were tragically lost. The celebrant of the Mass will be Bishop Robert J. Coyle.

Those attending the Mass are kindly asked to RSVP by sending an email to EventRSVP@CCLongIsland.org or by completing the RSVP form on their site. Please include your name and the expected number of attendees in your email.

Please take the time on September 11th to remember those whose lives were tragically taken from us and most of all NEVER FORGET! Please share with the generations that come after us why September 11th holds so much significance and why it is important to fly our American Flag proudly knowing that even in the most tragic of times we as a nation comes together and our neighbors are here for us.

“One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”

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