9/11 marked in Middletown, N.J., town that had the most people killed in the attacks outside of NYC

The tragedy of 9/11 hit one New Jersey community harder than any other. 

Middletown had 37 residents killed in the attacks, more than any other town outside the five boroughs. 

Friday at 7 p.m., there will be a special memorial service there. 

At the Middletown World Trade Center Memorial Gardens, there's a winding brick path with 37 stone memorials paying tribute to the Middletown residents who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. 

Longtime residents pass through the memorial to reflect on that day 25 years ago, and the people who were killed. 

"It's a very quiet, serene place," Middletown resident Suan Halle said. "How could I not be here? I've lived in Middletown for 40 years. We lost 37 good residents, many of them members of my church at Saint Mary's. And I come every year." 

Many Middletown residents knew someone who was killed. 

"Big town. Small big town, though. Everybody's close. Everybody knows somebody. We lost a neighbor. He lost a colleague from his company. Our daughter, her classmate lost a parent. So everybody kind of knew somebody," Sandy McKechnie said. 

Sandy and Scott McKechnie lived in Middletown for decades, and now reside in North Carolina. They returned for this. 

"We wanted to be here for this and see some people we haven't seen in a while. And just kind of be a part of it," McKechnie said. 

Middletown's World Trade Center Memorial Gardens have received significant upgrades, giving 9/11 families and the entire community a place to honor those who died, and hold true to Middletown's promise to never forget.