Posted by shar on September 12, 2003, at 0:25:59
In reply to Re: September 11 » Penny, posted by Dena on September 11, 2003, at 9:45:25
Thanks for the remembrance of that day. One thing I remember on the first anniversary of the event, was a commemoration ceremony. It was held at the site, on a platform that had been built (I saw this on TV), and there were 'presenters' of all kinds.
Military personnel, bereaved family members, people who had survived. What happened during this memorial was that the name of each person who was killed was read. There were three microphone set-ups, and each person read two names (there were two people at each microphone). It was SO windy and dusty there.
One person would read a name, then the other, then the first, then the other again. A few people were overcome with grief, and added a couple of words at the end. Like, "We love you and miss you" or things like that. Not everybody did that.
The one I remember as most poignant, was where a big tall man in full military dress was paired with a woman who looked like she could barely stand, so strained was her face, and the wind blew her dark hair over her face and she didn't even seem to have the energy to reach up and brush it back. She was leaning slightly on the military man, and I felt so glad he was there.
He read a name, then she read two names, and you could just hear him whisper to her (just read one name), and then he read his next, and she read one more. He put his arm around her and helped her away from the microphone, as the camera panned to the next set of mikes/readers.
The names of all the people were put up on the screen as they were read, plus where the people were from (the deceased people). There were people from all over the world, and there were instances where it looked like several of one family had been killed in the blasts.
YoYo Ma played during the readings, as well as other groups.
I'm so glad the news did not turn that into a sound bite. I wept for all those in pain and just because of the sheer magnitude of the event.
My sincere and heartfelt sympathy to all of those who lost people during 9/11, and thank you again for mentioning it.
Shar
poster:shar
thread:259017
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/grief/20030903/msgs/259281.html