“I am the sister of firefighter Thomas Hetzel and the wife of firefighter Christopher Dand,” said Dorine Hetzel-Dand, of Garden City South, during her keynote speech at Friday’s Town of Hempstead 9/11 memorial service. “My brother, Thomas, perished on 9/11 and my husband, Christopher, died from a rare form of leukemia caused by his time at Ground Zero.”
Hetzel-Dand’s story is one shared by hundreds of Long Islanders and thousands of New Yorkers, many of whom attended the 25th annual observance of September 11 at Point Lookout Town Park. Officials estimated more than 2,000 people showed up for the sunrise ceremony — believed to be the largest 9/11 memorial on Long Island — with hundreds of seats filling the sand and individuals stretching onto the beach entrance ramps to stand for the duration.
Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Ferretti coordinated the day as master of ceremonies, introducing each speaker, including an invocation from The Rev. Michael Duffy from St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre and the day’s final speaker, The Rev. Dr. Eric C. Mallette of Freeport’s Greater Second Baptist Church. “Our pain is temporary,” Mallette said about the loss that lingers more than two decades later. “But our pride, love, solidarity and loyalty to one another is forever. It’s forever.”
Bruce Brandt, a Wantagh resident, worked in New York City for four months after 9/11 restoring phone operations at Lucent Technologies. “I’m part of the World Trade Center Medical program,” Brandt explained. “I have come down with emphysema, asthma and skin cancer which are all related. Being down there for four months, I just feel part of it and I have to come here every year.”
The morning was punctuated with musical performances from the Gregorian Consortium of Kellenberg High School, as well as the Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drums.
Debbie Danese comes to the Point Lookout service from Merrick every year to remember her friend, an FDNY firefighter who died on 9/11. “It’s just such a beautiful memorial to have,” Danese said, before joining the crowd to cast carnations into the water at the end of the service.
Hetzel-Dand, a speech pathologist in the Baldwin school district, explained that her family would vacation at Point Lookout beaches when she was younger, driving a deeper connection to the annual memorial. “I’ve been coming here all my life. For 25 years and I grew up on this beach,” Hetzel-Dand said. “This is where we find solace and peace in our morning, to start our day. This is a very special place.”
Debbie Danese comes to the Point Lookout service from Merrick every year to remember her friend, an FDNY firefighter who died on 9/11. “It’s just such a beautiful memorial to have,” Danese said, before joining the crowd to cast carnations into the water at the end of the service.
Hetzel-Dand, a speech pathologist in the Baldwin school district, explained that her family would vacation at Point Lookout beaches when she was younger, driving a deeper connection to the annual memorial. “I’ve been coming here all my life. For 25 years and I grew up on this beach,” Hetzel-Dand said. “This is where we find solace and peace in our morning, to start our day. This is a very special place.”
