9/11 – A DAY NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine Nolan
It seems hard to believe that another 9/11 Memorial Anniversary is upon us but this marks the 11th year since our country was changed forever.
“They are gone but will never be forgotten” reverberates always in our hearts, our ears and our minds. So many innocent lives lost on that dreadful day, a beautiful sunny day much like today with the cool breeze blowing against our cheeks. Today, thankfully, the day takes on a more positive outlook of transition as the 9/11 Memorial Park is attracting crowds daily and serves as a special place of solitude and remembrance. The new replacement ‘Freedom Tower’ is taking shape on the New York Skyline lit up red, white and blue in honor of this day and symbolizes massive strength in a world where it is so easy to be overcome with vulnerability. America will not give in that easily.
On the eve of this day, it was gloriously announced that the budgetary dispute that had been prolonging the opening of the National September 11 Memorial Museum has finally been resolved. Today the museum was to have opened but many factors contributed to the delay namely disagreements on funding and financing. Mayor Michael Bloomberg played a pivotal role in moving the initiative past the roadblock so that construction can once again get underway. He currently serves as Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Foundation and has personally contributed to a good portion of the funding.
To date the memorial park, with two mammoth square fountains bearing the names of the individuals lost in both 2001 and 1993 during the bomb explosion in the parking garage of the World Trade Center, stands in the footprint of where the Trade Towers once towered above the land and a sea of trees is beautifully guarding the fountains. This morning, the actual memorial service was held here with the names of the over 3,000 victims being read by family members. As was expected, it was a very emotional morning.
The new tower is scheduled for completion in 2014 with 90 floors consuming 3 million square feet. It will tower as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. To date, 55% of the space has been leased of which the global headquarters of the media giant, Conde’ Nast, will occupy a great deal of the space.
Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the Flight 93 National Memorial Commemorative Service in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, on the White House lawn this morning, a Pentagon Memorial Service was also held with President Obama taking time to remember and commemorate the victims not only in New York City but in Washington and Pennsylvania as well. He stressed “that the families will never be alone, loved ones will never be forgotten. They will endure in the hearts of our nation, because through their sacrifice, they helped us make the America we are today — an America that has emerged even stronger”.
With so many Americans serving our country overseas to make our homeland safer, President Obama has declared this day a ‘National Day of Service and Remembrance’.
It was a valuable lesson building a much greater resiliency in the American people and a brighter dawn is upon us now. The legacy of 9/11 will live on in our hearts and in the history books.
PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images
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