A 9/11 anniversary tradition is handed down to a new generation

"It's like you're passing the torch on," says Allan Aldycki, 13. He read the names of his grandfather and several other people the last two years, and plans to do so on Wednesday. Aldycki keeps mementoes in his room from his grandfather and says that he wishes he could have met him. He feels it’s important to honor his memory and believes it's integral to teach the next generation about their heritage and the significance of 9/11."

Some are the children of victims whose partners were pregnant. More of the young readers are victims' nieces, nephews or grandchildren. They have inherited stories, photos, and a sense of solemn responsibility. Being a '9/11 family' reverberates through generations, and commemorating and understanding the Sept. 11 attacks will eventually fall to a world with no first-hand memory of them."

Read at Brooklyn Eagle