Yesterday I posted My Memories From 2001 and told you it would be continued...
Here are my memories of the Memorial in 2002 at Ground Zero.
July of 2002, I called my mom and begged her to come to Upstate NY. I told her I wanted to spend my birthday at Ground Zero at the 9/11 Memorial. She could fly into Albany and we would drive down to NYC the day before and get a hotel room.
She said yes, she would come.
September 10, 2002 Mom and I arrived in NYC and met a co-worker-friend of hers at our hotel. We walked to the garment district and went shopping. This firetruck was the first sign of the events from the year before that we saw.
The morning of September 11, 2002 we awoke at 4AM to make sure we would get a good spot at Ground Zero for the Memorial. We arrived at the subway station along with Firefighters from Washington State at 430AM. Then Police Officers showed up, (I so sorry I can't remember where they were from.) I was just in awe. I guess I didn't expect Fire fighters and police officers would be there from around the country. We made small talk and took photos.
Me with the Fire Fighter from Washington State
Mom with the Police Officers.
Where we got off the subway.
When we arrived at our stop, literally thousands of people were already there at Ground Zero.
I'm not exaggerating when I tell you over 100 English Bobbies were there. Police Officers and Firefighters and people like Mom and me from around the World had come to NYC to give their respects to the fallen hero's of 9/11.
We stood for 3 hours in front of the small church that didn't get damaged. The church that had stood there for over 100 years, not sure if you remember, but it was mentioned often that month after the attacks. Then a voice over the PA. The Bobbies that were lined up to go somewhere proceeded to march in a military like fashion.
A NYC Police Officer approached a LA Police Officer and asked him if he would like to join the others along the walkway down to the bottom of Ground Zero. The Officer declined because his lady was with him and she would be left alone.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke, I couldn't understand exactly what he was saying, but I knew it was him. Then small voices, voices of children began reading names. The President was scheduled to come, but was delayed.
We stayed til about 10AM, we had been moved from our spot in front of the church to another area where we could no longer hear the PA or even see the fence around Ground Zero, and we were moved for reasons unknown. We decided it was time to go home.
We actually ran into a Albany reporter on the way back to the subway and he interviewed us. We met a Lei Greeters from Hawaii, spreading the spirit of Aloha by handing out leis.
It was an experience I would not trade for anything and I'm glad I went. We left the City around 11AM or so and arrived home sometime after 2PM. The President and First Lady were just arriving at Ground Zero as we turned on the TV, and names were still being read. We watched the rest live from the comfort of my house in the country.
Below are more photos I took of the area around Ground Zero.
In the first photo you are looking directly across Ground Zero, the lights are shining down into what was known as the Pit.
I don't remember if this is the fence around the church or around Ground Zero. Flowers, cards and notes from all over the world were attached.
Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance
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Moving photos, Lysa. Makes you wish you were there...