September 11, 2001 is a date that few of us will ever forget. When the Twin Towers fell, New Jersey lost 746 of our own. As they came crumbling down, Garden Staters rushed in to help. First responders answered the call, working tirelessly to save as many as they could. Each year, we honor the victims, survivors, families, and brave men and women who were there on the front lines.
While it’s easy to remember the horrors and heartbreak surrounding 9/11, we focus on the heroes, the helpers, and a state that supported its neighbors during a devastating time. We can never get back our loved ones but we will never forget them, either. There are dozens of September 11th monuments and smaller memorials in New Jersey but there’s another tribute that means a lot to many of us.
The Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park in Jersey City is so beautiful…but you need to be there to experience it.
Bogumil Kozera/Flickr
The Tribute In Light is something that New Jerseyans (and New Yorkers) can appreciate for miles.
Yongyuan Dai/Digital Image Collection/Getty Images
On clear nights, the lights can be seen over 60 miles from lower Manhattan. That includes much of North and Central New Jersey, including the shore region.
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Tribute in Light is a commemorative public art installation that has been displayed annually from dusk to dawn on September 11th.
Photography by Steve Kelley aka mudpig/Moment Collection/Getty Images
The twin beams reach up to four miles into the sky and are comprised of dozens of 7,000 watt light bulbs. They serve as a symbol of resilience and a beacon of hope.
Michael Lee/Moment Collection/Getty Images
They almost didn’t happen this year, due to safety concerns, but the public outcry was massive and the decision to leave the sky dark in 2020 was reversed. Will you be looking out for the Tribute in Light tonight? What does it mean to you?
Bogumil Kozera/Flickr
Yongyuan Dai/Digital Image Collection/Getty Images
Michael Lee/Moment Collection/Getty Images
Photography by Steve Kelley aka mudpig/Moment Collection/Getty Images
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