Grief, Talks of War and Terror Punctuate Dignified 9/11 Memorial Service as Families of Victims Support Obama's Strategy to Combat ISIS
NEW YORK — Under overcast skies in downtown New York City, the grieving families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks remembered their loved ones in a dignified memorial service punctuated by bouts of tears, moments of silence and muted anger over their loss.
As President Barack Obama announced a plan Wednesday night to combat ISIS, many families standing in their pain on the Memorial plaza of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum declared that he has their full support.
"I think it's definitely a bold move to be proactive and counter that terrorism before another incident or event like 9/11 happens again. It's pretty much putting our foot down," said Phil Cruz of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who lost his uncle, John Robert Cruz, in the Sept. 11 attacks. He died while working on the 101st floor of the North Tower for Cantor Fitzgerald.
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"It's what's necessary, to be honest. There have been many plots. Understanding what it is like to go through this, I wouldn't want to have another thousands of families going through this," Cruz told The Christian Post.
Brooklyn resident Carlo Notaro sat on the plaza quietly grieving over the loss of his 25-year-old daughter, Daniela, with his wife, Rosa, Thursday. The day Daniela died she was working as a receptionist on the 92nd floor of the North Tower.
"The emptiness is still there," he explained. "After 13 years it's getting better, but our lives, our joy was interrupted 13 years ago. Now we go on, but it's just because we have got to live life. But it is not a real full life without her. Our dreams, our plans, our joy is gone with her."
Notaro said he has made the trip to the Sept. 11 memorial service every year since his daughter died. This year, he said he and other families heard rumors that terrorists had targeted the service and some people stayed away because of that, but not him.
"We were told that there is still a lot of threats from terrorists. Some people are scared but we are not," Notaro asserted.
After hearing that Obama will be increasing the number of U.S. airstrikes against ISIS, he said he felt it had to be done, but places some of the blame for what is happening with ISIS on American politicians.
"I always blame the American politician … to interfere with these kinds of people (Muslims) … we are the innocent ones who pay," Notaro added.
"I feel for the Middle East people. I feel like I hate them (terrorists) so much. They don't have a right to exist because they don't have any respect for human life. We have to do something about these people and their mentality. Killing people in the name of God?"
Jordan Thompson, who will be 18 in two weeks, was one of the readers who announced the nearly 3,000 names of the dead Thursday, including that of his uncle, Leon Bernard Heyward.
Heyward was a New York City worker who lingered in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack in New York City to help the disabled evacuate the scene. He died seven years after the attacks from cancer, which according to his family, was a direct result of his exposure to toxins from the site.
Thompson, who announced that he is now a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, said he's outraged at what ISIS is doing in the Middle East and is looking forward to going to Iraq.
"I am outraged. No matter what their [terrorists] reasons are … war is not good for the economy and war is not good for people period," he said.
He, too, said he believes Obama is doing the right thing by targeting ISIS.
"I saw the beheading video. It is the right thing, because we need to stop these men from killing anymore of our citizens," he said.
U.S. Army veteran Bernard Resta, 85, told CP he wants ISIS wiped off the face of the earth. Resta lost his son, John Resta, 40, and his daughter-in-law, Sylvia Sanpiel-Resta, 27, who both died while working on the 92nd floor of the north tower on Sept. 11, 2001. Sylvia was also pregnant.
"We feel he [Obama] should blow them off the face of the earth. They are as cruel as they come. They don't deserve to live. ... It never gets better," he said of the pain. "They say that time heals all, but that's not really true."
Resta commended Obama's decision to take action against ISIS because, he said, there is no worse evil in the world. He also suggested that the U.S. will need assistance from the Arab States in order to combat ISIS, and believes the U.S. will win because of God.
"I happen to be a religious person and I feel it will end well because God is on our side," said Resta.
