Remembering Mainers’ thoughtful show of respect | Letter
Maine residents remember September 11 with quiet candlelight
Falmouth, Maine – A letter written by a new Portland Public Market marketing director on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has captured the quiet reverence that Mainers showed in the wake of the tragedy. The letter, posted to the Press Herald, recounts the writer’s own experience and calls on residents to honor the victims by placing a votive candle on their mailboxes.
Who and where?
Marie Koerick, a resident of Falmouth and marketing director for the Portland Public Market, moved to Maine from New York City just before the attacks. She was only in her new position for three days when the world‑changing events unfolded on television.
What happened?
Koerick says she “was shocked and horrified by the events unfolding on the TV and was frustrated by my inability to reach any of my family in New York or to be there in solidarity.” She remembers the moment she thought, “What am I doing here?” The emotional toll was compounded by the fact that her former husband—who had been working in the World Trade Center when they were engaged—was now a casualty of the attacks.
The new marketing director was tasked with bringing Portland’s merchants together for a remembrance vigil at Monument Square. The vigil was a somber affair, and Koerick left the square “after dark, feeling traumatized and confused.”
A flickering sign of respect
On the drive home along Route 88 in Falmouth, Koerick “was greeted by dozens of flickering lights along the roadside.” Residents had placed small votive candles on their mailboxes, creating a moving display of remembrance. She writes, “It really spoke to me. Along with all the horror, it remains one of the things I remember most about that day. The quiet thoughtfulness of Mainers and their way of showing respect, in all its simplicity.”
A call to remember
In her letter, Koerick urges her fellow Mainers to keep the memory alive. “It is my hope that, on this sad and solemn 25th anniversary, people might once again honor those we lost by placing a simple votive candle on their mailbox,” she writes. The call to action echoes the simple, yet powerful gesture she witnessed on the Maine roadways.
Context
The 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, falls in 2026. Koerick’s letter was published in the Press Herald’s “Featured Letter” section, a space where community voices share reflections and calls to action. Her letter serves as a reminder that the impact of the attacks reached far beyond New York, touching residents in states across the country, including Maine.
As the state and the nation mark the anniversary, Koerick’s account highlights the enduring power of quiet remembrance and the role of everyday gestures—like a single candle—to keep the memory of the victims alive.
