The Importance of Memory

Friday evening, Tim Mahoney kept his promise.  I was among perhaps two hundred people who, thanks to his good efforts, kept ours as well. 

Tim Mahoney is a retired New Jersey State Trooper and (his words), "a Belmartian and a proud American." He has annually organized the September 11 Memorial Run, which is a simply wonderful event - even though it is a result of the events of that terrible Tuesday morning nineteen years ago.  Every September 11th, at 6:00 pm runners gather on the boardwalk at Belmar's Sixteenth Avenue Beach.  Once assembled, the process of reading aloud the names of the one hundred and forty-seven Monmouth County residents murdered on September 11, 2001 begins.  Approximately one-third of the names are read.  

16th Avenue Beach - Belmar

September 11, 2020 (photo credit - A. Kenny)

Upon completion of that portion of the list, the assembled runners move in silence south along the boardwalk, through the arches separating Belmar and Spring Lake, and run to the Spring Lake September 11 Memorial.  At the Memorial, roughly one-third of the names of the victims are read aloud and flags are placed at the Memorial.  

Spring Lake September 11 Memorial 

September 11, 2020 (photo credit - A. Kenny)

Spring Lake September 11 Memorial 

September 11, 2020 (photo credit - A. Kenny)

Then, again moving in silence, the assembled runners move in silence south on the boardwalk in Spring Lake to the gazebo at Washington Avenue.  It is there that the remaining names on the list are read aloud.  Runners then, if they want to, offer aloud a memory of someone known to them killed that day.  Once that recitation is completed, a heart-felt (if somewhat off-key) singing of "God Bless America" takes place, the remaining flags are placed, and the runners disperse to wherever it is we are going post-run.  

Tribute at Washington Avenue Gazebo - Spring Lake

September 11, 2020 (photo credit - A. Kenny)

I had feared that COVID-19 would make it impossible for us to gather this year.  Thankfully, COVID-19 was no match for Tim Mahoney and his preparation.  As we gathered at Sixteenth Avenue at 6:00 pm, we were each provided a mask (although everyone I saw, including Yours truly, had worn our own), and directed to stand on the beach, maintaining social distancing from our fellow runners.

Big-headed man wearing a mask

Once it was time to begin reading the names, rather than passing around the list and the microphone, Tim Mahoney simply read them himself.  He did the same thing when we reached the Spring Lake September 11 Memorial and, again, when we reached our final destination at Washington Avenue.  It was a different experience than in past years but it was as memorable and as moving as always.  

This weekend, I availed myself of the opportunity to run past the tributes we had placed on Friday night.  On Saturday morning, as I was heading north on the boards in Spring Lake shortly after sunrise, I ambled down the stairs onto the sand at Washington Avenue to view it in the light of early morning... 

Tribute at Washington Avenue Gazebo - Spring Lake

September 12, 2020 (photo credit - A. Kenny)

...and was not surprised even a little bit to see how beautiful it looked.  Sunday morning, on my way north I ran off of the boards in Spring Lake so I could stop briefly at the September 11 Memorial to pay my respects and to appreciate its beauty in the early morning...

September 11 Memorial - Spring Lake

September 13, 2020 (photo credit - A. Kenny)

...and was reminded just how beautiful it is. 

-AK