Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 12, 2025 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus It was 24 years ago yesterday that Americans experienced the tragedy, pain and suffering of the worst terrorist attack in the nation’s history – an event that’s known as 9/11. One of four commercial airliners hijacked that day became the first to hit its target, crashing into the World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. A monument on the Hamilton Street side of Saugus Town Hall forever links the community to the national tragedy of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which claimed close to 3,000 lives that day. Two former Saugus residents were among the victims who were killed 24 years ago. The monument, which is inscribed with the date and “God Bless America,” pays tribute to Gertrude “Trudi” Alagero and David DiMeglio, who died in New York City during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Towers. KILLED AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER: Gertrude M. “Trudi” Alagero, 37, a 1982 Saugus High School graduate, was a senior vice president and practice leader for Marsh Private Client Services, a division of Marsh & McLennan. Alagero was working out of an office on the 94th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center (also known as Tower 1). At 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the northern facade of the North Tower. Marsh & McLennan had more than 800 working on floors 93 through 100 – the part of the building that was in the flight path of the first hijacked airliner to crash into the World Trade Center Towers. More than 350 Marsh & McLennan workers – including Alagero – perished in the attack. KILLED IN PLANE CRASH: David DiMeglio, a former Saugus resident, then 22, was living in Wakefield and was among the 81 passenthe stage with the newest honorees that they voted to join them. Stay tuned. Founders Day book sale Sept. 13 The New Friends of the Saugus Public Library are gearing up for their annual Book Sale, which will take place tomorrow (Saturday, September 13) during the Town’s Founders Day celebration. They are seeking donations of adult fiction, both hardcover and paperback, as well as children’s books. Sorry, but they are not accepting donations of nonfiction books, textbooks or any non-book items (puzzles, games, workbooks, etc.). All donations must be clean and in excellent condition; no stains, yellowing, rips, wrinkles, odors or marked up pages, please! Please check in at the desk in the main lobby when bringing in donations. If you are hoping to donate a large quantity of books or have questions, please email sau@noblenet.org or call 781-231-4168 ext. 3102 before coming in. Thank you for your understanding and for supporting the New Friends! Hope and Remembrance A night to remember departed loved ones (Courtesy art to The Saugus Advocate) gers on American Flight 11 that was commandeered by five al-Qaida terrorists and flown into the World Trade Center’s North Tower shortly before 9 a.m. on Sept. 11. He was headed west to help his mother move. He had completed computer school and had planned to start a business in computer services. If you happen to be at Saugus Center tomorrow for Founders Day, stop by the monument and take some time to reflect on the lives of two local people whose lives were snuffed out by a senseless event that threatened the very freedoms we enjoyed and changed the world as we know it. Happy Founders Day! I’m not a Saugonian. But as a longtime newspaper scribe who has written millions of words about the town over about 15 years, tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 13) is one of my favorite days to hang out in town. Saugus will be observing its 44th Annual Founders Day – a special day that offers fun and fellowship for everyone, from small tots to centenarians. “Founders Day is a great time to see old friends and classmates! It’s a big block party with lots of food, fun, civic organizations and shopping,” said Joyce Rodenhiser, a Saugonian who has been organizing the special ceremony that will take place at noon, in front of Saugus Town Hall. At that time, two “Person of the Year” award plaques will be presented – to a man and a woman town resident – who have contributed to the betterment of Saugus. “Come, see who has been helping Saugus be a better place because of what they have done voluntarily for Saugonians and organizations,” said Rodenhiser, who was honored as a 2015 “Person of the Year.” What’s also great about this special ceremony is that former “Person of the Year” recipients from the 35 years that the award has been presented are invited to sit on Vigil Monday The Town of Saugus and the Saugus Prevention Coalition will hold a Saugus Hope & Remembrance Vigil at 6 p.m. Monday (Sept. 15) on the Town Hall Lawn. “The main focus right now is for Saugus residents to email us names of loved ones who either died by suicide or overdose that they would like to be read during the vigil,” said Katy Dos Santos, Saugus Prevention Coalition organizing member. “We have about 25 names,” she said earlier this week. “Having an event like this in Saugus is essential for many reasons: 1) to honor lives and acknowledge loss (we hope this evening will give loved ones and our THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 13
13 Publizr Home