The sky was a brilliant blue, so brilliant that it is the sky that people remember the most. It was September 11, 2001 and the New York Fire Department Chaplain Mychal Judge was going about his morning agenda as usual. At 8:48 a.m., Chaplain Judge rushed with first responders to the World Trade Center after receiving news that a plane had flown into the North Tower.

While in the lobby of the South Tower praying and condoling for the first responders and those affected by the accident, debris from the North Tower crumbled into the lobby killing Chaplain Judge. Judge was pulled from the chaos and was later declared body number “0001” making him the first recorded death of thousands from the acts of terror that took place on September 11, 2001.

Exactly 15-years and one day after the devastation of September 11th terrorist attacks, the sky was once again a brilliant blue as Nicholas Cantara told Chaplain Judge’s story to the University of New Haven community in commemoration of the university’s annual 9/11 memorial service.

“This event was created by students and students perpetuated and continued to run this event,” President Kaplan remarks as he helps open the September 11th memorial ceremony with colors posted on Monday (September 12) in the Maxcy Quad.  

Kaplan spoke how the university chose to counteract the tragedy by focusing on building the national security programs, which are now leading the country to ensure that history will not repeat itself – something the university prides itself on.

“As we reflect on that day,” Kaplan said, “Reflect on what we do to ensure that those events don’t happen again.”

Proceeding Kaplan was student body president Samantha Moul who represented the generation that grew up in its aftermath.

“The Twin Towers were unique in how they were made structurally, varying drastically from any that came before. They were new, and perhaps not perfect, but tall, beautiful, and stood for the power of the American soul,” Moul said. “Similarly, our nation and it’s people are the same. Unique in our make and beautiful because of it.”

Moul continued to talk about the beauty that the World Trade Center held and the power of the strength that the country exhibited to rehabilitate itself from such devastation.

Also joining the the podium were American Criminal Justice Association treasurer, Military Veterans of U.N.H. president, an invocation by Marty O’Connor, Major Muller the head of the U.N.H. ROTC, USGA Sargent-of-Arms Makenzie Upshaw who lead the Pledge of Allegiance, and Mary Matthews from the campus a capella group Fully Charged who sang the national anthem.  

Speeches ended with a procession to the Memorial Tree behind Maxcy where students, faculty, and guests surrounded the tree with American flags.

The Fire Science Club carried out “The Last Alarm,” the the tradition of ringing a bell five times in sets four sets proceeding the death of a firefighter, in honor of all of the fallen firefighters and first responders who died on September 11th or due to its aftermath under the same brilliant blue sky 15-years later to conclude the ceremony.

“In many ways the events of that horrific day hurt us,” said Muller. “In many ways they made us stronger.”