SHARON

A service to console the family of Rebecca Koborie and remember all the other victims of Sept. 11, 2001, was held Wednesday morning in the Sharon City Building. Mayor Dave Ryan said he hoped it "helped John Koborie and his family to get through this."

Ryan was referring to the death of Koborie's daughter Rebecca who was killed in attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.

"I think it's very important to do some kind of service on a day like this, not to relive the events over and over, but as a saying goes, 'if you forget the past, you're doomed to repeat it,' " Ryan said.

The service included remarks by four pastors from local churches, recognition of city firefighters, police and government officials, and a reading by former longtime council member Joseph Baldwin, whom Ryan called the "city's poet laureate."

Baldwin read a poem he wrote called "Where We At Today," which closed with the question "because after a year of searching for answers, where we at today?"

Koborie, 76, of Trumbull Avenue, said he considered the service "fitting" and that he especially appreciated Baldwin's poem. "Because that's still where I'm at with Rebecca today," Koborie said. "For me, this is the most difficult time of my life."

Other visitors were glad there was a memorial service in Sharon.

"It was real nice. It's a hard thing to think about at this time, but you have to dedicate your life and hope this doesn't happen again," said Kenneth L. Clark, Sr., 72, of Sharon, a World War II veteran. "This happened to other people and that's bad, but when something happens to people in your town, that really hurts," he said.

"I couldn't miss this. I wanted to be part of the ceremony," said Mary Malone, 78, of Hermitage. "I think it's very devastating. I don't know how he (Koborie) can hold up today, but he must be really brave to go through all this."

The city building was the first stop for Koborie who was also planning to attend ceremonies at the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System, American Legion Post 299, Covenant Presbyterian Church, all in Sharon, and First Assembly of God in Hermitage, depending on his schedule.

"I knew someone had to represent us here," said Koborie, who said he saw his youngest son on television Wednesday morning at Ground Zero. "That was really satisfying for me because I really wanted to be there. But I needed to be here to try my best to give a piece of Rebecca everywhere."