Middletown residents describe death of bin Laden as 'awesome'

I would have liked to have seen this for myself this morning.

By The Associated Press

MIDDLETOWN — A home improvement contractor read Bible verses aloud this morning at the train station in Middletown, where 37 residents lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks.

The news that Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces sparked elation in this community, which suffered the second-worst loss of life in New Jersey during the 2001 attacks by al-Qaida terrorists.

Several commuters used the word "awesome" to describe their reaction to the news of bin Laden's death.

But their enthusiasm was tempered with sadness over the lives of Middletown residents lost in the attacks.

Contractor Mike Lonergan read biblical passages to commuters waiting for trains, proclaiming "the wages of sin is death."

Nearly one-quarter of those killed in the 9/11 attacks were New Jersey residents.