Stony Brook University Remembers September 11, 25 Years Later

Twenty-five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Stony Brook University community gathered at the Memorial Arch on Friday morning, September 11, to remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives, including 21 Stony Brook alumni, and to honor the courage and resilience that followed in the wake of the tragedy.

At 8:46 am, marking the moment the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, the campus chimes sounded 21 times, once for each Stony Brook alumnus lost. After the chimes, cellist Will Taylor played a Bach cello suite near the Memorial Arch, where flowers had been placed among the surrounding grove of trees.

Music accompanied many of the events during this year's commemoration. Isabel Keleti, a doctoral student in piano performance who is working on In the Shadows of the Twin Towers, organized student musicians from Stony Brook's Department of Music to perform throughout the day. They included cellists Taylor and Gustavo Antoniacomi; violists Noemie Chemali, Chuxuejie Teresa Zhang and Xue Annie Ding; and Keleti on piano.

"I thought it would be a nice way to set the atmosphere and give people a moment to pause and listen and reflect on what the day means to them," Keleti said.

Before the chimes, Fred Scanga, executive director of the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University, spoke to an assembled group of faculty, staff and students, and reflected on the passage of 25 years and the responsibility to remember those who died, and those who continue to live with the effects of the attacks.

"Twenty-five years later, we continue to remember the lives lost, honor the heroes who answered the call, and reflect on the resilience that emerged from one of the darkest days our country has ever experienced," Sganga said.

Engraved on the sides of the Memorial Arch near the Humanities Building are the names of the 21 alumni who died on September 11: Joanne Ahladiotis; Jean A. Andrucki; Michael A. Bane; Carlton W. Bartels; William F. Burke Jr.; Michel P. Colbert; Stephen M. Fogel; Steven E. Furman; Richard S. Gabrielle; Kuifai (Raymond) Kwok; Edward J. Mardovich; Rudy Mastrocinque; Michael P. McDonnell; Manika Narula; Christopher M. Panatier; John W. Perry; Lisa J. Raines; Jonathan S. Ryan; Margaret M. (Walier) Seeliger; Peter A. Siracuse; and Walwyn W. Stuart Jr.

Members of the campus community were invited Friday to leave flowers at the memorial and spend time in quiet reflection.

"These alumni came from different backgrounds and professions, but they shared a connection to Stony Brook," Sganga said. "They studied here. They built friendships here. They dreamed here. Like the students who walk our campus today, they looked ahead to futures filled with possibility. Their lives were cut short, but their memory remains an enduring part of our university community."

Sganga also acknowledged the families who suffered loss. "As we remember them, we also remember the families who continue to carry the weight of their loss," he said. "Anniversaries, especially this one, are not simply moments of reflection; they are reminders that grief does not disappear with time."

In a message to the campus community, Stony Brook President Andrea Goldsmith also reflected on the significance of the milestone anniversary and the 21 alumni whose lives remain part of Stony Brook's history.

"As we mark the solemn 25th anniversary of September 11, many members of our community as well as people around the country and the world will pause to reflect on a defining moment in our nation's history that tested our character and spirit," Goldsmith said. "Through this reflection, we honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost on that day, including 21 Stony Brook alumni whose legacies live on in their contributions to our community and in the memories of those whose lives they touched."

The anniversary also serves as a reminder that the effects of September 11 did not end that day. Through the Stony Brook World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program, Stony Brook Medicine continues to care for responders who participated in rescue, recovery and cleanup efforts and to study the long-term health consequences of their service.

"Caring for 9/11 responders is more than a medical mission. It is a promise," Sganga said. "A promise that their sacrifices will never be forgotten. A promise that their health and well-being matter. And a promise that future generations will understand the cost of the heroism displayed on that day."

Goldsmith also pointed to Stony Brook's ongoing work on behalf of September 11 first responders as part of the university's commitment to Long Island and New York State.

"The devastating impact of September 11 remains in the hearts of those who lost loved ones that day or subsequently due to the attacks, and in the health of those affected by them," Goldsmith said. "Today our medical teams are researching the long-term health degradation suffered by the September 11 first responders in order to find treatments that improve the health and quality of life for these courageous heroes. This work reflects our deep commitment to serve citizens across Long Island and New York State."

Friday's observance extended across campus through opportunities for remembrance, reflection and service. The Stony Brook University Student Blood Drive Committee held a blood drive in the Stony Brook Union dedicated to 9/11 heroes, with support from the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office and the International Police Association. Community members were also invited to plant pinwheels in a memorial garden on the Academic Mall, paint rocks with messages of remembrance and peace near the Memorial Arch, participate in a Loving Kindness Meditation hosted by Healthier U and visit a dedicated reflection and screening room at the Charles B. Wang Center. A self-guided walking tour and StoryMap highlighted Stony Brook's connections to September 11 at sites across West Campus.

The commemoration began Thursday evening at the Staller Center for the Arts with an encore screening of 9/11: An American Requiem, a documentary featuring firsthand stories from September 11 responders that premiered at the Stony Brook Film Festival 15 years ago, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. The screening was presented by the WTC Health and Wellness Program and the Staller Center, and included a panel discussion led by Benjamin Luft, MD, executive producer of the film and director and principal investigator of the WTC Health and Wellness Program.

The anniversary is also being explored through In the Shadows of the Twin Towers, a yearlong commemoration hosted by the Humanities Institute at Stony Brook. Developed in collaboration with SUNY Distinguished Professor of History Nancy Tomes and Kristen J. Nyitray, director of Special Collections and University Archives, with support from the College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries, the Division of Undergraduate Education and the Office of Student Engagement, the initiative examines the immediate effects and continuing legacies of September 11, with particular attention to its significance for Long Island and Stony Brook. Programming throughout the 2026-27 academic year includes undergraduate courses, public lectures and student-led research projects.

A Memorial Stadium Climb at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, scheduled for Sunday, September 13, was postponed due to flash flood watches and the probability of severe storms.

Goldsmith noted that the anniversary is also an opportunity to remember the sense of connection that emerged in the aftermath of tragedy. "Our greatest strength as a community is our people, including our support and care for one another," she said. "Every day, I see this caring spirit in compassionate leaders and community members who lift one another up through every setback or loss."

"Let us remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives taken. Let us honor the first responders and recovery workers who demonstrated unparalleled courage. Let us recognize the ongoing needs of those still living with the health consequences of their service," Sganga said. "And let us cherish the memory of the 21 members of the Stony Brook family who never came home on September 11."

- Beth Squire