The grandson of a 9/11 victim thanked his grandfather for making him a New York Knicks fan on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy — before sharing a very different take on the Jets
The grandson of a 9/11 victim thanked his late relative for making him a Knicks fan
The grandson of a 9/11 victim thanked his late relative for making him a New York Knicks fan(Image: Spectrum News NY1)
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The grandson of a 9/11 victim thanked his late grandfather for blessing him with the New York Knicks fandom before jokingly bemoaning the Jets' current state.
On the 25th anniversary of the most devastating terrorist attacks on American soil, New York City remembered the 2,983 people killed during its annual ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan. To honor those who tragically lost their lives, victims’ children, siblings, and relatives read their names before sharing touching messages and memories.
Upon stepping up to the podium, Andrew Rosenblum’s grandson paid tribute to the grandfather he never got to meet and thanked him for passing down his Knicks fandom. New York secured its first championship in 53 years this summer, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals four games to one.
“Grandpa Andrew, me and my brothers, Matty and Teddy, hear so much about you,” the young boy began. “You blessed us with the Knicks, and this year we got our first championship. Knicks in five.”
However, the boy then turned his attention to the Jets, who actively boast the longest active playoff drought across all North American professional sports leagues, and added, “You also cursed us with the Jets. We’re still waiting on that one."
Addressing his grandpa again, the young Andrew concluded: “We never got to meet you, [but] we’ll always remember you. We love you. God Bless America.”
Taking to social media, droves of viewers applauded the boy for providing a lighthearted moment in an otherwise grief-stricken day. “I’m crying….. bravery clearly runs in this family. God Bless You,” one X user wrote, with another adding: “Oh kid… a real New Yorker!”
A third chimed in, “Brought me to tears. Knicks in 5 forever. Never Forget.”
Surprisingly, this wasn’t the only time the Knicks’ championship win was brought up during Friday’s ceremony.
While honoring his late father, Glenn Davis Kirwin, another man said, “We love you and miss you, and we know you were smiling down on Miles’ wedding day as the Knicks won in five. We will never forget you. God Bless America.”
The proceedings also included seven moments of silence, with the first occurring at 8:46 a.m., marking the time American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower. The second moment of silence took place at 9:03 a.m., when United Airlines Flight 175 collided with the South Tower.
New York City remembered the 2,983 people killed on 9/11 during a ceremony in Lower Manhattan
New York City remembered the 2,983 people killed on 9/11 during a ceremony in Lower Manhattan(Image: Getty Images)
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A third moment of silence was observed at 9:37 a.m., marking when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. At 9:59 a.m., a fourth moment took place in memory of the South Tower's collapse.
A fifth moment of silence happened at 10:03 a.m. to mark when the United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The sixth moment occurred at 10:28 a.m., when the North Tower collapsed.
For the first time, a seventh moment of silence occurred to honor those who died from illnesses or injuries related to 9/11.