THE “hearts and prayers” of the whole of York will be with the residents of New York tomorrow as both cities mark the tenth anniversary of the twin tower attacks.
Officers at York Fire Station in Tower Street will hold two minutes of silence on the forecourt at 2pm, while the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has written a prayer calling for the people of the world to become “peacemakers”.
The Lord Mayor of York, Coun David Horton, has taken the anniversary as a chance to write to the mayor of New York to pass on support from the residents of North Yorkshire and York.
He said: “Here in York we grieved with you in 2001 and we still mourn your loss.
“But since that sad day we have watched your city rise resolute from those terrible ashes.
“Together, and with great leadership, you rebuilt your dignity, sprit and the city itself to set the world an example of resilience just as New York’s crest commands – always upwards.”
York’s links with it’s American namesake are well documented.
In 1924, New York sent a plaque across the Atlantic which still sits in the Guildhall and celebrates the friendship and goodwill between York and it’s “god-child in America.”
Firefighters in Selby will also spend two minutes in silence to mark the anniversary.
Tony Walker, watch manager at the Canal Road station, said: “Our crews who are working on the day of the anniversary will gather in the muster bay at the station, where we stand for parade, for the two-minute silence, as we feel it’s very important to remember those who died.
“Firefighters across the world are a very close-knit community, and wherever you go, you always seem to end up chatting to one. Everybody at the Selby station felt for those who were killed ten years ago and their families, and since then North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has done a lot to raise funds in their memory.”
The brigade’s communications systems will adopt radio silence at the time of the silent tribute for everything apart from emergency calls, with the 14 whole-time firefighters on duty in Selby tomorrow taking part in the act of remembrance.
Tomorrow will see a charity fundraiser pound the pavements from York to Selby in a poignant nod to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and is inviting other runners to join him.
Electrical engineer Stanley Hryszkiewicz, of Gale Lane, Acomb, will be running from York Racecourse to Selby Abbey on Sunday.
‘That day will live with me forever’
THE photographer from North Yorkshire who was injured in the collapse of the twin towers ten years ago has spoken of his memories of the day.
At the time of the attacks, Paul Berriff, of Bedale, pictured, was staying in Manhattan with his wife, Hilary, just two blocks from the doomed towers. He was there to film a documentary and was shooting when news came through to him of the first plane strike.
“We could see little black dots coming from the building - as we got nearer we realised it was people jumping,” he said.
“The road was flooded with people, shocked and screaming. At the base of the towers they filmed rescue efforts until they heard a “massive bang”.
“I turned the camera and saw the three floors of the tower just peeling away like a big umbrella,” Mr Berriff said. “I think I stood there for about five seconds as this tsunami, a wave of debris, came towards us. We just ran.”
“I can still remember it vividly. That day will stay with me forever.”
A terror we hope never to see again
THIS weekend marks the tenth anniversary of the worst terrorist atrocities the world has ever seen.
Just after 8am on September 11, 2001, the world changed forever as flight attendant Betty Ong transmitted the chilling words: “The cockpit is not answering. Somebody’s stabbed in business class.”
Hijackers had snatched control of an American Airlines jet. Half an hour later, a second plane was seized, both headed to New York as flying bombs to destroy the city’s flagship twin buildings, the World Trade Center.
The phrase “9/11” entered the vocabulary that day along with “Ground Zero”, words that have since acted as a memorial to the 2,996 people who died in the attack which also spawned the so-called “War on Terror”.
Tomorrow, the anniversary will be marked across the world. There will be a service on the site of the World Trade Center, attended by President Obama.
In York, firefighters will hold a two-minute silence, the Archbishop has written a prayer for peace and The Lord Mayor has sent a letter of support to the mayor of its “god-child in America”.
The alleged architect, Osama bin Laden, is dead, but that will be of little consolation to families whose lives will never be the same again. While the images we stared at incredulously on TV are ones we would like to forget, they cannot be erased from our minds.
It is to be hoped that we will never see anything like 9/11 again.
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