A quarter-century after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, community members, state leaders, and grieving families assembled at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, Connecticut, to pay tribute to the lives cut short. The gathering marked the state’s annual "Connecticut Remembers September 11th Memorial Ceremony," honoring the 161 victims with ties to Connecticut who perished on that fateful morning.
The atmosphere on Wednesday afternoon was marked by a muted, gray sky that mirrored the waters of Long Island Sound. From the park’s southernmost point, which extends out toward the water, a heavy haze obscured the Manhattan skyline where the World Trade Center towers once stood. Attendees stood near the memorial garden, reflecting on a landscape intertwined with the historical tragedy.
Sherwood Island holds a poignant place in Connecticut’s collective memory of that day. Twenty-five years earlier, as the Twin Towers burned and eventually collapsed on the horizon, state emergency coordinators hastily established a staging area at the shoreline park. A convoy of ambulances was dispatched to the site, ready to receive and transport injured victims across the water. However, the emergency vehicles sat largely idle throughout that tragic afternoon, as the catastrophic destruction left very few survivors to be rescued.
With 25 years having passed, an entire generation has now reached adulthood with no firsthand memory of the tragedy. Despite the passage of time, approximately 400 people arrived at the park to share memories, shed tears, and honor lost spouses, siblings, friends, and neighbors. Even casual park visitors, including a Milford resident visiting with his daughter, chose to linger and join the solemn tribute.
Among the featured speakers was Trevor Ugolyn, whose older brother, Tyler Ugolyn, was killed inside the North Tower. In 2001, Trevor was a college sophomore watching the unfolding disaster on television while desperately attempting to reach his 23-year-old sibling. Tyler, a Ridgefield native and former standout basketball player for Columbia University, was working as a biotech stock analyst for Fred Alger Management on the 93rd floor when the building was struck.
Addressing the crowd beneath a memorial tent, Ugolyn explained how his relationship with grief has evolved over the past quarter-century. Having spent 25 years mourning in private, he noted that becoming a father to two young sons shifted his perspective on the responsibility of remembrance. He shared that his connection with his brother was never severed by the tragedy, but rather transformed into an enduring bond that continues to guide his life.
Ugolyn placed significant emphasis on the vital role of living storytellers as the passage of time reduces the number of people who directly witnessed the event. He highlighted his brother's enduring legacy, including a weekly youth basketball clinic Tyler launched for children in Harlem near the Columbia campus—an initiative that continues to flourish through a memorial foundation established in his honor.
Seeing reflections of his late brother in the laughter, competitive spirit, and kindness of his own children, Ugolyn underscored the necessity of active storytelling for the younger generation. He reminded the audience that remembrance requires explaining not just how the victims died, but celebrating the meaningful ways they lived their lives. By giving voice to their stories, he noted, names etched in stone are restored to living memories that can inspire future generations.
The ceremony also heard moving testimony from Sophie Pelletier Martinelli, whose 36-year-old husband, Mike Pelletier, was killed in the attacks. Mike, a Greenwich resident, was working as a commodities broker for Cantor Fitzgerald when the towers were hit. Martinelli spoke candidly about the devastating shock of that day and the lifelong journey of navigating unexpected grief.
Martinelli shared how she resolved to guide her children forward by showing them that love remains stronger than evil, despite profound sorrow. She reflected on resilience, describing it not as the complete absence of pain or an uninterrupted feeling of strength, but as the daily choice to keep moving forward one moment at a time and deciding what purposeful life to construct around the heartbreak.
The memorial program was hosted by Brian Mattiello, the former director of the Connecticut Office of Family Support. Mattiello stressed to the crowd that those who died on September 11 must never be reduced to mere dates on a calendar. Instead, he expressed that the truest honor for the lost is to weave their memories into daily thoughts, celebrations, and quiet reflections, measuring their legacy by how the living conduct their own lives.
Connecticut deliberately schedules its Sherwood Island commemoration several days before the official anniversary ceremonies in lower Manhattan. This scheduling allows surviving family members and loved ones to attend both the state park ceremony and the broader commemorations at Ground Zero without conflict.
Governor Ned Lamont addressed the crowd while looking out across the hazy horizon toward New York, noting that the events of that day still feel as immediate as yesterday. He reflected on the profound sense of shared humanity and mutual unity that briefly brought the nation together in the aftermath of the devastation.
Following the speeches, Governor Lamont and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz led attendees on a commemorative walk across the park grounds. The walk provided a quiet space for families and residents to stand united, ensuring that the legacy of Connecticut's 161 victims remains an enduring beacon for generations to come.
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