The eighth annual memorial service for the lone Vincentian killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States was held last Friday at the Botanical Gardens in New Montrose.{{more}}

Vincentians, including Minister of Culture René Baptiste, Senior Magistrate Donald Browne and a number of school children from around the country, turned out in large numbers to pay respects to Andre Colin Cox.

On September 11, 2001, the United States was subjected to a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda terrorists who hijacked four commercial passenger jets and used them as missiles. The hijackers crashed two of the planes into the World Trade Centre in New York City, killing everyone on board and several hundred more in the buildings.

The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., while the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers decided to confront the hijackers. There were no survivors from any of the flights. In total, 2,993 people, including the hijackers, died.

Cox, was working on the 101st floor of the 110-storey WTC building when it was attacked. All that was returned to his mother Princina Cox was his tarnished wallet.

Addressing the service, his mother thanked the culture minister for helping to carrying on the legacy of her son and for not letting Vincentians forget the tragic events that took place on that day. The retired Headteacher also took the opportunity to thank persons who supported her throughout the years.

During the ceremony, Baptiste encouraged the young people gathered to adopt kindness, love and charity. “Where there is good, there is evil, and where there is darkness there is light, and that light is Jesus Christ,” Baptiste said.

The minister promised that as long as she is alive, the memory of Cox will continue to live on. Brothers Jamito and Javed James also performed a musical tribute on the clarinet.