Linden Fire Chief Joseph Dooley spoke during a unique 9/11 remembrance service held at Linden High School that brought together students from both New Jersey and Texas.
The commemoration included a video conference with high school students in Allen, TX, a school which reached out to Linden in the spirit of unity and compassion shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The two schools have maintained a close relationship ever since through their “Tale of Two Cities” program.
“As a New Jersey fireman, the idea that people in Texas cared about us opened my eyes,” Dooley said to the students in Allen via video conference from Linden High School’s Academy of Science and Technology. “The fact that your schoolmates, your alumni, cared enough to come up here to find out about us, what was happening, it meant a lot. It meant we weren’t alone.
“Now 16 years later, you can see the same thing happening for your state. As you deal with Hurricane Harvey, as Florida deals with Hurricane Irma, there are police, fire and EMS workers from New York and New Jersey in Texas, in Florida, because we’ve never forgotten. People took care of us during that time, and that’s something we will always remember.”
The program also featured current and former students who were part of the “Tale of Two Cities” program, which over the years has brought students and faculty from the two schools together in both Texas and New Jersey.
Board of Education member Theresa Villani also spoke at Monday’s remembrance about her personal experience working in the World Trade Center and losing co-workers on 9/11. “I think something like this really helps keep the memory alive of the people we lost,” she told students during the video conference.
Joseph Cataline, an administrator who helped found the program in October 2001, said it has been his passion. “I’ve been in education for 45 years, and this program has been the highlight of my career,” he said. “Over the years, I have gained so many personal friends in Allen, Texas, I feel often that they are part of my family.”
Linden High School Principal Yelena Horre said the students in the program were able to take the tragedy of 9/11 and make “something really beautiful.” “Sitting with me today, and there in Allen, are students that don’t remember 9/11. But you keep it going, because you understand the importance of that. Allen and Linden, we’re a family,” Horre said. “We will continue to keep the charge, and make sure that we never forget the heroes of 9/11.”
(above) Linden Fire Chief Joseph Dooley at Monday’s 9/11 commemoration at Linden High School’s Academy of Science and Technology. Seated behind him, from left, are Board of Education members Vice President Tracey Birch, Theresa Villani and Dawn Beviano.
