Carle Place community members attended the annual 9/11 ceremony, remembering those who died from the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which included one resident.

The Carle Place American Legion Post No. 1718 hosted the annual memorial ceremony at the Carle Place Memorial. Servicemen, families and neighbors gathered to listen to people share stories of loved ones who died as a result of the terrorist attacks 23 years ago.

“Before you go to sleep, hold the ones you love a little tighter,” Al Piscitelli, commander of the Carle Place American Legion, said. “And never take one second of your life for granted.”

One of the people honored at the ceremony was Charles “Chuck” Karen of Carle Place. He succumbed to cancer, which he contracted from spending many hours at ground zero, and died on Nov. 4, 2015. Karen was a member of the Manhasset-Lakeview Fire Department Company No. 2, a police officer with the New York City Police Department 73rd Precinct, and a husband, father and friend.

The morning ceremony concluded with the playing of taps and “God Bless America.”

“I just want to take this opportunity to thank members of the Legion Auxiliary Unit, Police Department, Fire Department, and all the people that took the time to come here to remember something that happened so many years ago,” Piscitelli said. “God bless America, God bless us all.”