The Survivors Rise Up

The Memorial is finally open. By all accounts most of the visitors are satisfied with its design. In 2003 after the 8 finalists were chosen, I wrote on this website (Footprints in the Dust) “Numerous comments by reporters and on website forums deplore the sterility, and the lack of incorporation of actual elements from Ground Zero”. I quoted Clay Risen’s lengthy report “ ‘They are little more than theme parks of emotion—in this corner, relive that oceanic sense of loss you felt that morning; over there, cry over the sheer number of the dead.’ ” Indeed one could say that is exactly a description of this memorial. But thoughts and wishes of thousands of people have a way of influencing things beyond what I or Risen could have imagined.

The Survivor Tree

On the plaza of this Memorial are 400 trees. They came from New Jersey, Washington DC, and Shanksville Pennsylvania. Among them stands a lone pear tree that had been mangled, covered over with dust in the pit but was rescued and now was a healthy flourishing tree. Thanks to Ron Vega, Director of Construction for the Memorial, who had worked the pile and had seen this tree in its decrepit state, saw it as a symbol of all that survived that terrible day. He felt that the “Survivor Tree”, as it was called, could be that something tangible from Ground Zero that the memorial needed. Within the scope of the design, he found his touchstone. It now has a prominent place to shade visitors and to remind them that survival and rebirth through the worse of times is possible. He listened to his inner voice.

Rendering of Trident's position in Museum entryway

New York magazine, Sept 2011

The Tridents Return

The Museum produces another example of this strange effect. The curators working with the designers found a way to not just include a relic from Ground Zero but to give it a prominent place where all could view it from Memorial level. From the North Tower, two “tridents”, the lower part of a Tower’s façade, are housed on the main level, the entryway to the Museum. The Museum’s transparent glass outer shell lets a passerby see in and view them. When you enter, you will be able to come up close and perhaps even touch them!

In my posting in 2003 I wrote “The beams and other objects surviving Ground Zero have become our 21st century relics. They hark back to the Catholic Church’s tradition of venerating relics of their saints… the faithful (were) allowed to touch it. A way for the faithful to connect with that saint and maybe even experience a healing.” Yes experience “a healing.” The names and waterfalls serve their purpose, but what better way to heal than to touch that which actually went through the hell of 9/11. A small flourishing pear tree and 2 gigantic steal beams, can possibly do just that!