Heroes who perished at World Trade Center will be among those remembered

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, and while it honors those who served and perished in past conflicts, what will come to my mind tomorrow, is the faces and the words spoken as I watched the recent dedication of the World Trade Center Memorial on television.

We have waited such a long time for the completion of this memorial, but from the news reports I read and the excellent television coverage I saw, it appears to be a comprehensive, well-thought-out and tasteful tribute to all those who perished and the many who came to help on that terrible day.

I still can vividly recall that morning when our New York daughter-in-law phoned to tell us to turn on the television as a plane had just accidentally flown into one of the towers. As we flipped the dial, the second plane was just imploding the other tower, and we realized at that awful moment — this was no accident.

Watching what followed was a special shock for both of us as Val had previously worked for an engineering firm located on the 82nd floor of the North Tower, and while I had not commuted daily as he had, the Connecticut real estate company where I worked had its headquarters in the South Tower, and I had made frequent visits to their offices with its sweeping views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. 

I had also eaten several times at the renown Windows on the World restaurant on the 107th floor of the North Tower with its indescribably breathtaking views, but a location so high up that most of the waiters and support staff there did not survive.

The World Trade Center had attracted workers of many different nationalities and backgrounds. There were bright young stockbrokers and hedge fund managers earning huge amounts of money, secretaries and receptionists from Iowa and Texas; thrilled to be working in the Big Apple, middle-income commuters and heads of families, some just arriving for work, and electricians, cooks, waiters, maintenance crews from Mexico, Puerto Rico, China and a dozen other countries … all part of what was almost a mini city unto itself.

The heroism and the sacrifice of both the workers in those buildings and the police, firefighters or nearby civilians who all rushed in to help, as well as those who stayed for months to dig through the unimaginable rubble, is a lasting testament to all that is remarkable and special about the American spirit. As President Obama said in his moving tribute at the opening ceremony, “No act of terror can match the strength of our country.”

It is a strange fact, but because I was so accustomed to get my bearings as I approached New York by spotting those two towering buildings, even after all this time, my mind’s eye still fills them in at the space where they should stand.

I guess buildings, as well as people, live on in our memories of them. I shall always picture those two proud towers as part of the New York skyline.

What are the meaningful memories you will cherish tomorrow?

Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St., Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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