UPPER WEST SIDE — New York's Finest gathered to honor their 9/11 fallen at a somber ceremony on Thursday, paying tribute to the NYPD officers who died that morning a decade ago and others who've passed away as recently as this June.
Thousands of police in dress blues packed Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, with the front rows reserved for the families of the 23 officers killed on Sept. 11, 2001 and the 50 who died later from illnesses linked to that day.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly reminded the audience of the heroism of 9/11, speaking of police who formed human chains of 60 people to guide civilians through pitch darkness at the World Trade Center, and of a lone officer who removed all of his safety equipment to tunnel through a crevice for three hours as part of a rescue effort.
"Amidst raging fire and clouds of smoke, with debris raining down around them, they drew from the place where courage resides and character is forged," Kelly said.
Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg handed out commemorative medallions to family members of each fallen NYPD officer and employee, who were showered with warm applause as they crossed the stage.
Some paused to salute or wave gently to photos of their loved ones looking down from the screen on stage. And some of those who received the medallions were children of fallen officers who were infants on 9/11, but are now old enough to shake the mayor's hand.
In closing remarks, former Archbishop Edward Cardinal Egan called the actions of police on 9/11 an inspiration. "The preachers were many and none preached more powerfully than New York's Finest," Egan said. "Their service was about total self sacrifice for others...How could I not be inspired by their magnificient homily?"
The ceremony finished with the NYPD Pipes & Drums corps filling the auditorium with mournful bagpipe music.
They then marched out of the dark auditorium and continued the concert outside in the bright sun in front of the fountain at Lincoln Center, as fashion industry professionals rushed past on their way into runway shows for Fashion Week, which started Thursday at Lincoln Center.
Many stopped in their tracks and a crowd quickly formed around the bagpipers and drummers.
Christina Macaulay, a reporter from Los Angeles covering Fashion Week, paused and held up her iPad to record the musical tribute.
"I just have goose bumps all over," she said. "It's been raining for three days and the sun just came out.
"Someone's taking care of these people. This can't be a coincidence."
