Mayor McDermott praises post‑9/11 unity, thanks council and veterans at Hammond City memorial

Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr. addressed the audience during Hammond City's 25th‑anniversary ceremony for the Sept. 11 attacks, thanking council members, veterans and first responders in attendance and urging the city to "never forget."

McDermott named several council members in the audience, including Councilwoman‑at‑Large Janet Velez and councilmen Mark Howinski, Bill Emerson, Dave Wirpel, Scott Rakos and Dave Hamm, and recognized veterans among them. He cited national casualty figures for the attacks and praised the national leadership that followed, saying, "He did an excellent job as our commander in chief." The mayor framed the response as a time when many Americans set aside political differences and emphasized unity, courage and compassion as the fitting response to the attacks.

The mayor closed his remarks by invoking the lives lost and the heroism of first responders, saying the most meaningful way to honor them is to remember how Americans responded with courage and solidarity.