Sunrise ceremony on Long Island to remember the lives lost on 9/11

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (PIX11) – Sept. 11 observances will be held across the tri-state area on Wednesday to mark 23 years since the terror attacks.

More than 1,000 people are expected to gather on Long Island at Point Lookout Park at sunrise to honor the thousands of lives lost. The Hempstead park holds significance, as residents watched in shock as smoke rose from the site of the World Trade Center 23 years ago.

The keynote speaker is Dawn Kirchner, the wife of firefighter Ronnie Kirchner. Ronnie Kirchner responded to the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001 and later spent six months doing recovery work at ground zero.

He died from 9/11-related illness in 2022.

The program will not only honor victims who lost their lives that day, but also the first responders like Ronnie Kirchner who died from illnesses tied to their ground zero work as well as troops who were killed fighting the war on terror that followed the attacks, according to organizers.

Several spiritual leaders will offer blessings and remarks during the ceremony.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018 . She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.