Joseph and Meredith
My goal was to write a long blog post about our
experience at the 9/11 Museum and Memorial from last year, but that didn’t quite pan out. Instead, I will just share some photos of our
visit and a big thank you to Joseph DeRenzo. He will more than likely never see
this, but his time shared with Meredith and I left such an impression that day.
Joe spent the days following the 9/11 attacks removing and sifting through
debris, either at Ground Zero or at the Fresh Kills Landfill.
After his work was finished, he left the island and did not return for almost
10 years. He came back to become one of the first docents at the museum. After
meeting him and hearing stories about other docents, it seems like that job has
become a healing process for many. Our hearts goes out to them, and the friends
and families that lost love ones. This includes Joe, who lost a friend
working for Cantor Fitzgerald in One World Trade Center (North Tower). To America’s finest that risked and/or gave
their life that day, and continue to deal with the aftermath. May we always
remember 9/11 for those that were taken too early, and for the strength and
courage displayed by our country in the response.
Slurry wall and the Last Column
Columns from point of impact on North Tower (floors 96-99)
American Airlines Flight 11 fuselage section, which struck the North Tower
South Tower bent column
Floppy discs
Section of the 362' tall North Tower antenna
Ladder Company 3, which lost 11 firefighters
While leaving the museum, you look up at these base columns
