The Alternative Press

NEWTON, NJ – Local police, fire departments, EMS, dignitaries, and residents came together on Sunday afternoon at Sussex County Community College’s September 11^th Memorial to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

This year’s keynote speaker was N.J. Burkett, Emmy Award Winning ABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News Correspondent, who Glen Vetrano, co-chair of the Sussex County 9/11 Memorial said, shared his story for the first time.

Prior to the program, Burkett talked with The Alternative Press, as well as a number of Sussex County notables who approached him, with words of thanks for his participation.

“It’s my pleasure to do it,” Burkett told The Alternative Press. “It’s great to see so many people here, it’s good to see so many students here.”

Burkett spent some time speaking with Clear Channel Radio Marketing Manager, Bob Dunphy, before the program, and met Town of Newton Police Chief Michael Richards, the college’s Executive Director of the Foundation and the Performing Arts Center Barbara Wortmann, and Sussex County Freeholder Director, Philliip Crabb.

“Thanks so much, it means a lot to us that you’re here,” Crabb told Burkett.

“It means a lot to me to be here,” Burkett replied to Crabb.

The crowd immediately grew silent at the start of the program, when a pre-recorded segment aired with bells tolling, and commentary from different people interviewed on the day of the attacks, who described what they saw and how they felt. From there, a rendition of “America the Beautiful” wrapped up the first portion of the program, and led into the next part of it.

The program continued with a flyover by the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit, and then an invocation by Saint Joseph’s Church Pastor, Brian Sullivan.

“We remember the first time we heard the news, the first time we saw those images, and how we prayed for those families, and we pray for them today,” Sullivan told the crowd, asking in prayer to God to bring comfort, and peace to all.

A military procession took place next with a presenting of the colors, and then the raising of the American Flag by Matthew D. Neuenfeldt, Army Sergeant, First Class; John Flynn, Army Staff Sergeant; and Juan Maldonado, Army Staff Sergeant.

John Puszczs, an Eagle Scout from Troop 150 in Sparta, led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance, along with area Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts.

Kelly Wask, a High Point Regional High School student, and winner of the “Sussex County’s Got Talent” contest sang the National Anthem.

Dr. Paul Mazur, President of Sussex County Community College, welcomed the audience, and thanked the Sussex County 9/11 Memorial Committee.

Richards spoke next, and was a master of ceremonies and co-chair along with Vetrano.

“We are reunited here in honor and remembrance of this 11^th anniversary of 9/11,” Richards said. “It is our solemn obligation, we shall never forget. We never shall forget the 3,000 who perished that day, or our heroes.”

Richards described the 9 foot 11 inch tall memorial with a pentagon-shaped base, name of all the flights, and steel beam from the World Trade Center as a “symbol of American resolve.”

He thanked groups, including the Sussex County PBA Local 138, the Pocono Mountain Corvette Club, New Image Landscaping, and Sussex County Community College, for their support.

Vetrano, who is a Paterson Fire Department Retired Battalion Chief, thanked the American Red Cross, Sussex County Chapter, The New Jersey Herald, and the scouts who participated.

He recognized Leslie Ruben, New Jersey Coordinator of Cell Phones For Soldiers, who attended, and, who lost her brother in the World Trade Center.

Dunphy introduced Burkett, and summarized the dangers of working as a journalist.

“Journalists are also first responders,” said Dunphy. “They risk their lives to tell us what’s going on in the world.”

Burkett has reported from Iraq, and the Gaza Strip, but nothing prepared him from narrowly escaping the collapse of the South Tower, with his cameraman, Marty Glembotzky.

“I’m here today because there was a door,” Burkett said, who dodged through a door that he found in the American Express Building.

“I don’t have to close my eyes to remember any of it,” Burkett said.

On arrival, Burkett said he and Glembotzky were dodging glass, and debris.

“We could not get close to the concourse,” Burkett recalled. “There were legions of firefighters standing ready for battle.”

Glembotzky, he said, focused on people hanging at the top of the North Tower.

“They’re jumping, it’s people trapped unable to escape, what could be worse than that?” Burkett asked.

Burkett and Glembotzky realized that they were the closest TV crew to the towers, and Burkett said, Glembotzky showed the firefighters, and then tilted up to show the towers.

“I’m going to remember what happened next for the rest of my life,” Burkett said.

Burkett watched the South Tower begin to collapse, and it unfolded on camera, though it appears from his broadcast (click here to view) he did not seem to fathom what was initially beginning to happen.

“A huge explosion raining debris on all of us, we better get out of the way!” Burkett exclaimed on film.

That is when Burkett and Glembotzky dashed for the door.

“There were others we learned never made it through the door,” Burkett said.

The two survived the collapse of the North Tower, and was unable to reach anyone for an hour to let them know if they had survived. Finally, Burkett reached his father.

“There is nothing quite like hearing your own father cry,” Burkett said.

He then asked the question, “Am I OK?”

And then replied, “After 11 years, it’s not so simple.”

“There’s hardly a day that passes when I don’t think of them or their families,” Burkett told the crowd.

Don DiFranco, his co-worker and an engineer on ABC 7 maintained the transmitter (the large antennae) atop the World Trade Center, and is remembered by the whole team, including Burkett. Click here to see a video tribute about DiFranco. 

When Burkett finally made it to his home on Long Island, Burkett said, “All I wanted to do was see my family, and switch off this nightmare.”

After hugging his wife, Burkett went to his son, Jay’s room, and was shocked by a vision of his son, then age four, building two towers with blocks, and slamming a toy plane into it.

He asked Jay what he was doing, and asked about those in the buildings, who would be hurt.

“No one is in the building, and the plane is flying by itself,” Burkett said his son replied.

Burkett said some of the stories truly moved him, including one where he interviewed a survivor who lost a loved one, who had only gone to the towers for the first time for a breakfast meeting at Windows on the World. Some of the interviews, Burkett had a hard time completing, and instead, was comforted by his interviewees.

He is grateful to have survived.

“Somehow, I was fortunate to run into that door, and into the rest of my life,” Burkett said.

Burkett said, however, there are conspiracy theorists who have made accusations that he is part of one of the greatest hoaxes, and the survivors he spoke to were actors covered in dust, and said one writer blogged how ABC is owned by Disney, and the studio simulated Burkett’s footage. These accusations upset Burkett.

Recently, Burkett said he was up at the top of the new Freedom Tower, and a construction worker asked him to sign a beam with white pen.

Burkett said he wrote, “We must always remember what happened here.”

Many members of the audience gave a standing ovation to Burkett, and thanked him at the end of the program.

Prior to Burkett, there have been several prominent speakers since the memorial’s dedication in 2003. Past speakers have included Hon. Andrew P. Napolitano, Lisa Ayers, Michael Benfante, Bernard Kerik, Gov. Christopher J. Christie, Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco, Det. John Hulse, Ira Polk, Brigadier General Jonathan A. Maddux, and Elvis Duran.

Wask sang “God Bless America”, and then wreaths were laid down by the memorial for Police (by Patrolman Steve VanNieuwland of the Newton Police Department, and Patrolman Victor Marin from the Byram Township Police Department), Fire (Sussex County Fire Marshal Joseph Inga carried it with his son, Joseph Inga, an FDNY Firefighter), EMS (Liam Glinane of FDNY, and Donald Stoll, an EMT), Military and a new category of Fallen Military (Neuenfeldt, Flynn, Maldonado, Wayne Newton, and Ryan Smith carried the wreath), and Civilian (Kevin Pettenger of High Point Regional High School who created a 9/11 stained glass piece for his school, and Nicki Dobias, a 50-year Sussex County resident).

The Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County performed, “Amazing Grace”, and Arlene Petronaci of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, and Port Jervis High School Senior Sarah Mannion performed the song, “You Raise Me Up”

The Reverend Ernest Kosa, a Lt. Colonel of the US Army (Ret), gave the benediction.

“As they gave their lives going into peril, they will never be forgotten,” Kosa said.

Kosa introduced the Caparisoned Horse, Tonto Thomas, who was a mount for the New Jersey State Police, and typically used in funeral processions to represent fallen warriors. Retired State Police Sgt. Joseph Geraci, led Tonto through the audience.

Bob Caggiano played “Taps”, and George O. Lott, Don Devore, and Commander Stephen Davis of Ogdensburg VFW Post 10152, lowered the colors, with recessional music by the Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County finalizing the program.

Editor’s Note: This is the third story in our series, “Each Person Has A Story – The Alternative Press of Sussex County Remembers September 11”.