By Maddy Vitale
Terri Pycior was just 15 years old when she started dating Joseph Pycior Jr. They married eight years later and had two sons.
The family lived in Carlstadt in Bergen County. John was in the Navy and by the time he was 39 years old, he had received the Purple Heart, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendations Medals and other decorations.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Pycior was working for the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon when terrorists flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the building.
Pycior was honored, along with others who had fallen, in an emotional tribute in the annual New Jersey Run for the Fallen on Thursday, in which military members run to honor lost soldiers, sailors and airmen. The runners visited 72 markers throughout Cape May County, including 12 in Ocean City.
Six of the hero markers in Ocean City were at Veterans Memorial Park, where Terri Pycior, who became a widow at just 38, and her sister, Kim Carney, of Carlstadt, awaited the runners.
“He was killed instantly,” Pycior said, while glancing down at her husband’s marker. “The boys and I moved to East Windsor after he died. I didn’t want to see the New York skyline anymore.”
Pycior was one of four military members who died in 9/11 honored during the event.
At about 5 p.m., runners turned the corner onto Wesley Avenue and were met by applause and welcoming shouts from onlookers. Runners such as Army Senior Master Sergeant Bill Hensley didn’t let anything get in the way of his participation. Even through he is stationed in Korea and is from Kansas City, Mo., he still made it to the run.
“I have been doing it for a couple of years,” Hensley said of the run. “It is worth 30 hours of travel.”
Some people wiped away tears as the runners saluted the markers and called out the names of the fallen.
Cape May County Freeholder E. Marie Hayes said what a touching event it is.
Ocean City’s American Legion Morvay-Miley Post 524, 46th Street and West Avenue, has been an important part of the event for the last 10 years.
Several of the legion’s members attended the ceremony. They also were hosting a dinner Thursday night for the Gold Star Families, the Run Team and the Run Support Team.
Gina Secrest, of Ocean City, who is active with the American Legion and hosts military families, called the event a wonderful tribute to those who have fallen. She noted that the American Legion does a great job helping with the efforts.
A group of women from Navy Families called the run necessary.
“It stands for remembrance. Nobody should ever forget their sacrifices,” said Kathy Cassiday, of Monmouth County.
“They did their duty, so it is our duty to remember them,” said Dawn Nicolato, also of Monmouth County.
Peggy Iurato, of Bergen County, is in charge of administration for Navy Families. She looked at the marker for the latest hero to fall, Airman Apprentice Joseph Min Naglak, of West Windsor. Naglak, who had enlisted in the Navy in April 2017, died this month when he was struck by an airplane propeller.
Iurato looked at his marker and her eyes welled up with tears.
“My son loads bombs on aircrafts,” she said. “Just the fact that someone lost their life on a flight deck is too close for comfort for me.”
For Terri Pycior, her life was forever changed by 9/11. She said her sons, Joe, 27, and Robbie, 25, give her strength to go on.
“My younger son just got his master’s degree,” she said. “He is a high school social worker because of what happened. He is like his dad. He likes to help people.”
