Franklin Lakes Remembers, Reflects on 9/11

On Sept. 11, 2001, Chris Deming was in seventh grade at the Academy of Most Blessed Sacrament. He had no idea what was going on in New York City and no idea that he would never see his father, Frank Deming, again. But the classmates who were with him that day are among the many unsung heroes who helped him through the last 10 years.

On Saturday, Deming thanked the 400 or so Franklin Lakes friends and residents that had gathered at the 9/11 10th Commemoration ceremony for coming together to help to raise him after losing his father in the attacks on the World Trade Center--the anonymous donor who paid his AMBS tuition the following year, the stranger who donated tickets to the Knicks-Wizard game that Christmas, and several adults who stepped in the gap: Mr. Edison who took him to Knicks games, Mrs. Howland and Mrs. Wood who took his father's place taping him basketball games. He referred to his life after 9/11 as the Butterfly Effect.

Deming was one of many who spoke at the 90-minute Franklin Lakes ceremony that served as both a commemoration and a dedication of Memorial Pond. The borough's ceremony was unique in that in addition to commemorating the three borough residents who died in the World Trade Center attacks -- Thomas J. Cahill, a securities trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, Frank Deming, a practice director at Oracle Corp, and Steven Schlag -- it also honored the life of Alexia Tsairis, who was killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Alexia's mother, Aphroditie Tsairis, spoke at the ceremony. Following her daughter's death, she started the Alexia Foundation for World Peace and played an active roll in demanding justice and improved airline security. She was a contributing author of the Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990.

"If the aviation standards we championed and indeed passed into law were in place on Sept. 11, 2001, these attacks would never have occurred," she said.

Steve Schlag's sister Jean and Thomas Cahill's brother-in-law Jason Psirogianes also spoke at the ceremony, along with former mayors Freeholder Maura DiNicola and Tom Donch.

"I am proud to have been Franklin Lakes mayor during America's darkest hour," Donch said. "I pray America never has to build another memorial park."  

The pond project initially began as an Eagle Scout project by Philip DeNicola Jr. Under Mayor Tom Donch, it was designed into a memorial site, thanks to the design efforts of John A. Meeks and Kevin Boswell. Along the way, many local businesses and residents stepped up to volunteer their time and talents.

JoAnn Romano and Kathy Psirogianes, sister of Thomas Cahill, tirelessly spearheaded the project. Donations came from Braen Stone, Tanis Concrete, Bolkema Fuel, Mike Rioux, Mike Jost, welder Robert MinAvini, Hahns Autobody, A & C Sprinkler’s, Abma’s Farm, Cedar Hill Nursery, Twin Brooks Nursery, Victoria Nursery, Tidberry Nursery, Superior Landscaping, Landscape Works, Colony Florist, Mike Kolenut, Jeff Zage, The Lions Club, The Woman’s Club, The Newcomers Club, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Taylor Rental, Staples, Foodtown, Market Basket, and the Bogan and McMichael Families.

Speakers, honored guests and musicians included Mayor Frank  Bivona, Father Mike Donovan, Lauren Longo, Val Muller, Rabbi Cohen, Former Mayor Tom Donch, Freeholder Maura DeNicola, JT Taylor, his wife Starlena and son Xavier, Karen Stratis, and the boy scouts and girl scouts.

"The Franklin Lakes Memorial Pond is intended to be a gift to those honored, a living testimony of courage and hope and a site for all to heal and to celebrate life," said JoAnn Romano of the Memorial Pond Committee. "This Memorial was built with the love and support of the entire community and we thank each and every one of you and ask for your continuous support for this vital part of Franklin Lakes."

One of the more touching moments of the ceremony included Franklin Lakes resident JT Taylor, artist and songwriter formerly of Kool & The Gang, debuting a song he wrote in honor on 9/11 titled "American Family."

"American Family keep your head up and be strong/Stay together and hold on, cause we will weather the storm/It's gonna take you and me the American Family, our nation, this town/And we're not gonna let them shut us down."