By John Spinelli
MIDDLETOWN – As the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks approaches, some first responders are using an after-shift activity to honor the fallen.
Members of the Chubby Pigs, a uniquely named running group, will once again participate as a team in the Middletown PBA’s 4th Annual 9/11 Memorial 5K Sept. 7.
Police officer Jay Troshane started the club as a way to stay in shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although originally from Freehold, Troshane has a personal connection with the Two River community since taking his oath as a police officer in 2013.
He said the club’s unusual name comes from a joke made during his time training at the Monmouth County Police Academy. It was a reminder to “stay in shape” after graduation, he said.
“The club is a nice way to develop better relationships for various first responders and the community outside of the shift,” Troshane added.
The group consists of firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and police officers from Middletown and across the state, although it has no formal affiliations with any police departments or Police Benevolent Associations.
Anna Dinnocenzo, a local distance runner and EMT from Lincroft First Aid, said running with the club helps her “reset” from the stress of shifts.
“Running helps keep me in shape for the busy days. And I think it’s a great way to shake out your last shift or prepare for the next one as a meditation,” she explained. “It has also really made me value movement. I realize that my ability to move my body without assistance is something to be grateful for.”
“The Chubby Pig Running Club has been a huge help for our 5K,” said Rich Belmonte, the 9/11 Memorial 5K race director. An Army veteran, Belmonte founded the race only a few years ago with another veteran and fellow Middletown Police Department co-worker Shane Hall. “We started this 5K to honor and remember the victims and heroes of that tragic day,” said Belmonte. “Our shared military background instilled in us a deep sense of duty and respect for those who serve and sacrifice.”
Belmonte noted how a new generation is helping carry the mantle. “Seeing young kids run the 5K fills me with hope and pride. It’s inspiring to witness the next generation carrying forward the legacy of remembrance and resilience.”
“Their involvement is a powerful reminder that the values of unity, compassion, and honoring our heroes are being passed down, ensuring that the spirit of 9/11 continues to live on in our future,” he said.
Hall, too, said he was inspired to see the younger generation continue to honor the fallen. “What we’re starting to see now in the first responder ranks is this younger generation who had to learn about 9/11 through textbooks. For them to be able to be a part of an event like this, I think I’ll help them understand the sacrifices the people on the ground made that day in real life.”
According to Belmonte, the Middletown PBA established a high school scholarship in honor of retired Deputy Chief Joseph Capriotti for his legacy and commitment to service on 9/11. Money raised through the race will go to the scholarship fund.
Capriotti personally notified every township victim’s family about their loved one’s death on Sept. 11, 2001 (37 Middletown residents died that day). Capriotti also responded to Ground Zero in the days and weeks following the attack. As a result, he contracted cancer and died in June 2019.
“It means a lot, especially in the Middletown community, to be able to put on an event like this and give back as much as we can,” said Hall. “There aren’t many words to describe the feeling.”
Nearly a year after 9/11, then-Middletown Mayor Patrick Parkinson and the township committee approved a memorial project sponsored by local businesses and organizations, selecting the train station in remembrance of the commuters from Middletown who died on that day. The memorial was completed in 2003 and each year the township holds a service there.
Today, the memorial has a stone marker for every Middletown resident who died in the attacks. Recently the names of residents and first responders who died later from cancer or other 9/11-related illnesses were added.
“The race represents more than just a race,” Belmonte said. “It serves as a reminder of our collective resilience and the unity that emerged in the face of adversity. As we run together, we honor the past and continue to never forget.”
For information about the Middletown PBA’s 4th Annual 9/11 Memorial 5K, visit runsignup.com and search 9/11 Memorial 5K.
The article originally appeared in the August 29 – September 4, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
