PRINCETON: Procession from Brooklyn delivers WTC beam

By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Knights of every color rode on shining armor from Brooklyn to Princeton to bring a piece of the World Trade Center to its new home this weekend.
When all the motorcycles roared to life like a Princeton tiger, the growls echoed off the buildings on Van Brunt Street in Brooklyn early Saturday morning.
More than 200 motorcycles from the Red Knights, Blue Knights, Green Knights and other motorcycle clubs, individuals and emergency services participated in the steel run, which stretched the span of the Verrazano Bridge, about one and a half miles. Motorcyclists journeyed from New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut to bring the steel to its new home.
“It’s a great tribute to what happened and it brings back memories of working at Ground Zero,” said Robert Buchanan, Princeton Township police chief, as he waited for the run to get started in Brooklyn. “It’s very important for the actual history of what we are doing.”
Whether this was a first steel run or a 100th, each one is treated with reverence and respect for what it signifies.
“I’ve taken steel to Shanksville, Camp Lejeune in South Carolina and the Pentagon,” said Frank Ancona, a New York firefighter with Ladder 32. “It’s very emotional, the steel is part of the towers that came down.”
Mr. Ancona explained he lost seven members of his of his firehouse in the attacks in addition to 43 firefighter friends and numerous civilian friends, as he waited to drive Engine 343 to the Outerbridge in Staten Island. Engine 343, which represents the number of FDNY firefighters who perished in the terror attacks, is a ceremonial antique fire truck used for such purposes.
In addition to reflecting the lives lost, the steel reminds others of the great humanity, compassion and community that dawned in those dark days.
“I was mayor when 9/11 happened and over these last years we have remembered (those lost) without having a marker,” said Phyllis Marchand, former Princeton Township mayor. “Now having a marker is most appropriate. I will never forget how everyone in town rallied to help in every single way that day; it was an incredible outpouring of humanity.”
The humanity continues to pour, especially with the way the community came together to welcome the steel to Princeton, with several restaurants and markets donating large amounts of food for the reception after the welcoming ceremony.
“Today is another example of that outpouring when I see how many restaurants and merchants donated food,” said Ms. Marchand. “These are our merchants and we must support them as they support us.”
Some motorcyclists view the steel runs as a chance to look back and think.
“It’s a good chance to reflect on the event and when you do something like (the steel run) it gives you a chance to reflect and put your life in perspective,” said Bill Shields, president of Princeton Engine Company No. 1 and a member of the Red Knights motorcycle club, who was riding along with his son. “It’s almost spiritual when you’re on a bike by yourself; you can’t let this stuff be forgotten.”
Never forgetting is why others get involved with this type of event.
“It’s very emotional and beautiful with the support you get along the way,” said Dan Prince, who is retired from FDNY and who worked at the Friends of Firefighters in Brooklyn where the steel was picked up. “The overpasses are covered and families come out and wave, all people are not related to firemen or military, they just want to honor the steel going by.”
Mr. Prince got involved with the steel runs to make sure the sacred pieces of twisted and mangled metal go to appropriate places.
His words rang true as firefighters covered almost every overpass saluting. As on ramps and exits to the highways were closed to allow the procession to pass, waiting motorists got out of their cars to wave, take photos or videos.
“I think it’s wonderful thing we have a piece of the World Trade Center so we can always remember what happened there and the way it has impacted and affected our community and country,” said Liz Lempert, Princeton Township deputy mayor after the service when the steel arrived in Princeton.
“It was a wonderful, wonderful effort of Roy James and the Princeton Fire Department to bring the steel to town,” added Yina Moore, Princeton Borough mayor. “We have seven families that were directly impacted and will be honored with the installation of the steel in a place where we can mourn the lives lost where we can as a community come together.”
For organizer Roy James, deputy chief of the Princeton Fire Department, the day was an emotional roller coaster.
After nervous jitters and lots of speech rewriting, Mr. James finally faced his fears and felt at ease when his fire department and Red Knight brothers arrived in Brooklyn.
“A lot of my fear I was making a big deal of this to the community, I was making a big deal of it to people I was talking to and I didn’t want it to be one of those things you hype up so much and it flops,” said Mr. James. “With the anticipation I wasn’t able to sleep last night. It really hit me emotionally when I heard the fire trucks were coming, it started this morning when the Red Knights from (Chapter) 22 showed up, but it hit me more when I heard the trucks were coming and I went to go see who was bringing them in and all of a sudden I heard this roar like a tiger and all of a sudden it was one motorcycle after the next motorcycle after the next motorcycle after the next motorcycle … it was actually coming to fruition and happening.”
Looking back in the rear view mirror on the route, Mr. James was struck by the size of the processional and how many people showed their support between the bikers and the emergency personnel.
“We actually stretched over the whole Verrazano Bridge,” he noted.
But all the work was to honor the lives lost on 9/11.
“One of the Ladies Auxiliary came up to me and said her cousin passed away in 9/11 and she had tears in her eyes and she thanked us for doing this,” said Mr. James at the firehouse on Witherspoon Street after many of the visitors left. “I think she got some kind of peace out of it that now we have something where people can go touch and look and feel.”
“It was the fourth best day of my life,” added Mr. James, after his wedding day and the birth of his two children. “It was probably as emotional as each of those days if not more.”
Even the smattering of rain showers could not dampen his spirit.
“When it started to rain, it worked out really well, it happened at the best time when we were doing the folding of the flag, it added a somberness to the ceremony at the right time,” Mr. James said in an interview at the firehouse after the event.
“My deputy chief went above and beyond, when he first told me we were getting the steel, I thought it was one of his pipe dreams,” said Dan Tomalin, Princeton Fire Department chief. “I thought there was no way we were getting it.”
Those who could not participate in the motorcycle run found ways to honor the steel.
“It’s humbling to see this,” said Mark Madonia of Hightstown, who came to the Molly Pitcher service area of the New Jersey Turnpike to show his son the beam and explain how two planes slammed into the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001. “It’s sacred.” 