MORRIS COUNTY — Nick De Gregorio, a U.S. Marine veteran from Bergen County who chose to serve because of the tragic events of September 11, will deliver the keynote speech at the upcoming Morris County 9/11 Memorial Ceremony, according to county officials.
This year’s remembrance is scheduled for September 10 at 6:00 p.m., located at the county’s memorial site on West Hanover Avenue in Parsippany-Troy Hills. The event is open to the general public.
Nick, moved to enlist after the attacks which he witnessed as a 16-year-old student, 12 miles away from his school in New Jersey. His service to the nation spanned nine years, which included four combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
The county’s 9/11 Memorial stands in honor of all the lives taken during the attacks, emphasizing the loss of 64 residents from Morris County. Ruby-colored paving stones, inscribed with the names of every victim, outline the memorial. Furthermore, brass plates atop the memorial’s inner wall bear the names of each Morris County resident lost on that fateful day.
Attendees are reminded that seating is restricted, so bringing lawn chairs is advisable. Parking provisions have been made at the Morris County Department of Human Services building on 340 West Hanover Ave. For those requiring aid, shuttle buses will operate to and from the memorial.
The county has extended an invitation to all local emergency services, permitting them to send one vehicle for the gathering. They’ll convene at 4:30 p.m. at the Morris County Public Safety Academy, situated at 500 West Hanover Ave., Parsippany-Troy Hills.
The circular design of the county memorial incorporates three steel beams from the World Trade Center, accessible for visitors to touch. Additionally, the memorial features remnants from the United Airlines Flight 93 crash in Shanksville, Pa., and soil from the Pentagon, marking the crash site of the hijacked American Flight 77.
