Seabrook Looks Back on 9/11

Rev. David Bowman recalled during Seabrook Village's 9/11 service on Sunday how the Freehold hospital where he was working the day of the attack prepared to receive over a hundred injured, only to learn that no one was coming.

Lisa Vargas, who is the facilities manager for the retirement community, was a paramedic at the time and visiting family when she got the call to help at the World Trade Center. She said she watched people going back into the north tower, after it fell, trying to help those who didn’t get out and she also watched as people walked, as opposed to running away from the third building that collapsed.

On Sunday afternoon Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls held its first memorial service to honor those lost in the 9/11 attacks and remember those that survived.

The interfaith ceremony, titled the “9/11 Service of Remembrance and Hope," was created to encourage the community’s optimism, faith, and compassion. Volunteers, staff members and residents came together for the tribute.  Some of the speakers and residents were personally affected by the terrorist attacks.

Vargas rendered an on-stage timeline piece that highlighted the major incidents that occurred on 9/11 with Public Affairs Manager Tony Ciavolella. 

Vargas said that this was the first ceremony she had participated in since 9/11. “I [usually spend] the day quietly remembering.”

The only resident who had lost a family member was Irene Goldberg whose son-in-law, Capt. Joseph D. Farrelly, was a New York City firefighter.

“Numbness, the whole thing was numb,” Goldberg said about 9/11. Goldberg recounted how upset she was for her daughter and grandchildren’s loss and how they are still known as the "9/11 family."

During the hour-long service, speakers performed poems, shared biblical verses and held homiletic sermons; a cantor, Rebecca Zweibel from Pastoral Ministries Associates, sung operatic pieces; and the Silvertones, made up of Seabrook residents, sung songs such as “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and “Oh God, Our Words Cannot Express." The community television department put together slideshows in conjunction with the event’s theme. Rep. Rush Holt, who could not make it to the service, instead delivered his message through a video.

“It was such a monumental anniversary,” said Ann Marie Matthews, Seabrook's volunteer coordinator.  Reverend Bowman shared the same sentiments, “I think that is was a powerful reminder not only of the incident, but of the hope.”

“It came together beautifully; we started it the way we were supposed to with remembering,” said Vargas.