There is much to think about while walking through the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan. The obvious, of course, is the mayhem that occurred that day and the stark reality of the names etched along the massive pools representing the North and South towers.
But I also found myself marveling at the design so lovingly created by architect Michael Arad and it was exhilarating to see the development happening around the memorial. I regularly see the progress from across the Hudson River when I’m at the Hoboken waterfront, but it’s completely different being there, dwarfed by skyscrapers climbing into the sky.
And then there was the Survivor Tree. Well, that required a whole Game Plan column to process.
Today’s Game Plan: What the Survivor Tree Can Teach Us
(Note: This comment was posted to my Contact page, but I am moving it here because it’s about this Game Plan column. My response is also below.)
Dear Nancy,
I wanted to thank you for the wonderful article you did on the 9/11 Memorial and the Survivor’s Tree. I am a survivor of the attacks on 9/11/2001. I worked for Thomson/Baseline Financial and was in the south tower on the 78th floor that fateful morning. Fortunately for me, I left between the two planes, but my friends didn’t leave. On that floor that morning there were 5 of us and 3 died.
My wife and I do volunteer work at the WTC Tribute Center http://www.tributewtc.org. Any docent has to have some kind of connection to that day, family members, first responders, volunteers from 9/11, survivors and residents. We have shown hundreds of visitors the memorial and the tree, they know it’s a special tree because of the fence around it, but they really don’t know about it until we tell them on our tours.
On September 12, 2012 the 9/11 memorial invited members of the World Trade Center Survivors Network http://www.survivorsnet.org/ to a small ceremony for survivors. Overall we had 200 people attend this ceremony. They gave us blue ribbons and let us write things on the ribbons and tie them on the tree. It was a very special and emotional day.
I am good friends with the person who found that tree, nurtured it back to life and was the main person that got it back to its home on the memorial. On September 11, 2012, I had the honor of going to the service with one of my co-worker’s family. I saw my friend on the grounds, just leaning against a tree, taking it all in. The look on his face was just amazing, to see the tree there, to see the family members there and the kids playing in the grass, it was just priceless.
This tree just didn’t survive; it survived and is now growing. I remember when it was first planted, it was big, but look at it now, its just amazing how big it has become. I especially like this tree because in March/April, it’s the only one with white flowers while the other trees are barren, then it turns green and really stands out.
The tree means to me that while you can knock us down twice and burn us, we will come back better and stronger in the end and that it s. In reading your article, I believe that you really understand the meaning of the tree and what it represents.
I hope that many people read your article and come see the memorial.
Brian Branco
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Brian, I am just so touched by your note. So touched. Thank you for taking the time to write it. What an immense thrill to hear your story and to “see” the tree through your eyes. Your kinship with it given what you went through that day (and the years beyond) is so powerful. A true survivor. You have brought tears to my eyes once again. I share your hope that many people visit the memorial.
I always say if even one person is affected by something I write it’s worth it. This column was worth writing just to get this piece of mail.
All the best to you,
Nancy