Under a muted, overcast sky along the shoreline of Long Island Sound, hundreds of mourners gathered at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport to mark a solemn milestone: a quarter of a century since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The annual statewide ceremony, known as the Connecticut Remembers September 11th Memorial Ceremony, brought together families, friends, and community leaders to pay tribute to the 161 victims with ties to the state whose lives were cut short that morning.
The setting carried profound historical significance. Twenty-five years ago, the southernmost point of Sherwood Island State Park served as a designated staging ground where state emergency management personnel rapidly organized a fleet of ambulances to receive survivors from across the sound. However, as the Twin Towers collapsed and fires engulfed lower Manhattan, very few wounded arrived, leaving the emergency vehicles idling on the coastline while plumes of smoke billowed on the distant horizon.
On late Wednesday afternoon, the horizon toward Manhattan remained shrouded in gray haze as approximately 400 attendees assembled beneath an outdoor tent near the park’s memorial garden. The passage of twenty-five years underscores a pivotal generational transition, as an entire generation has now reached adulthood without any living memory of the attacks, making the obligation of preserving firsthand accounts all the more urgent for the families who endured the tragedy.
The gathering reflected an enduring tapestry of grief, resilience, and personal reflection. Relatives arrived to honor spouses, siblings, parents, and neighbors, listening to heartfelt testimonials that detailed not only the profound loss felt in 2001, but also the enduring ways the victims continue to shape the lives of the loved ones they left behind.
Among the keynote speakers was Trevor Ugolyn, who was a sophomore in college when he watched the towers fall on television. His older brother, Tyler Ugolyn, 23, a former Columbia University basketball standout from Ridgefield, was working as a biotech stock analyst for Fred Alger Management on the 93rd floor of the North Tower when the building was struck. Calls placed to his brother that morning went unanswered.
Addressing the crowd in an emotional address, Trevor Ugolyn explained that after a quarter-century of keeping his grief largely private, the responsibility of parenthood reshaped his perspective. Now raising two sons of his own, he emphasized that remembrance must evolve from silent mourning into active storytelling so that future generations can comprehend the human gravity of the tragedy.
He noted that although his sons never had the chance to meet their uncle, Tyler’s character lives on through them, visible in their humor, competitive spirit, and treatment of others. He also highlighted Tyler’s legacy of community service, including a weekly youth basketball clinic he established for children in Harlem while attending Columbia, an initiative that has continued and grown through the charitable foundation operating in his honor.
Trevor Ugolyn stressed that keeping memories alive requires dedicated storytellers who can ensure that the individuals commemorated on the memorial are understood as complete human beings rather than mere historical statistics. By sharing how victims lived rather than focusing solely on how they perished, he noted, families have the power to transform personal memory into an enduring legacy that instructs and inspires posterity.
The ceremony also heard moving remarks from Sophie Pelletier Martinelli, whose husband, Mike Pelletier, 36, of Greenwich, was working as a commodities broker for Cantor Fitzgerald when the towers were attacked. She reflected on the sudden, permanent rupture caused by that day, recounting how the initial shock forced surviving families onto unexpected paths of perseverance.
Pelletier Martinelli spoke candidly about the long-term process of healing, emphasizing that while the pain of such a catastrophic loss never truly disappears, families retain the ability to choose how they construct their lives around that sorrow. She shared her determination to demonstrate to her children that enduring love remains stronger than destruction, defining genuine resilience as the quiet, daily commitment to move forward through sustained adversity.
The Westport service is intentionally scheduled several days prior to the official commemorations held at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan, allowing Connecticut families the opportunity to participate in local observances without having to miss the national ceremonies in New York. The gathering was hosted once again by Brian Mattiello, the former director of the Connecticut Office of Family Support.
From the podium, Mattiello emphasized that the passage of 25 years does not diminish the significance of the anniversary. He told attendees that those who died will never be relegated to a static date on the calendar, noting that the highest form of tribute is found in how the living carry forward their memories through everyday acts of purpose, celebration, and reflection.
Gov. Ned Lamont attended the commemoration, looking out over the water toward the New York skyline and remarking on how vividly the day remains etched in the public consciousness despite the passage of time. He recalled the rare sense of unity and shared humanity that emerged among citizens in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, urging the audience to hold onto that common bond.
Following the formal addresses, Lamont and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz led the assembly on a memorial walk toward the shoreline. Among those walking the grounds were casual park visitors who chose to pause and pay their respects, such as Tom Huebner of Milford, who attended with his daughter, illustrating the continuing power of the site to bridge generational divides and keep the legacy of the fallen alive.
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