Of all the towns and cities in New Jersey impacted by the events of Sept. 11, none lost more lives per capita than in Middletown.

Silence spoke volumes at the town’s annual memorial.

“It’s a silent ceremony, so there’s no true kickoff point,” said Mayor Tony Perry. “I wait for that train to come through. That train was really the last glimpse of what these 37 people saw and heard.”

Hundreds marched around the town’s remembrance garden, lit by the flickering flames of their candles.

“When that bell tolls the 37 times, you feel the crowd not only be silent, but you can almost hear the heartbeat,” Perry said. “You know every single person here still has pain, but certainly has an incredible amount of hope.”

Middletown’s police chief was among those to answer the call for help 23 years ago, deployed on a ferry to Pier 11.

“There was soot probably a foot deep in areas, and just devastation and smoke and burning. It was horrific,” said Chief Craig Weber. “This year is actually the first year where the number of first responders that have died of 9/11 illnesses has surpassed the number of those who were killed.”

Sailors from the USS New Jersey - the Navy’s newest submarine - laid the wreath. Earlier Wednesday, they spoke to students who are learning about Sept. 11 as history.

“We have a responsibility to all of them to ensure that kids today understand what occurred, how we responded - the strength and resilience and unity,” Perry said.