The Firefighters Monument
Across from Ground Zero, on Tenhouse’s wall, reflecting where 343 of the FDNY’s Bravest fell on 9/11, there now stands a monument. The inscription on it reads, “Dedicated to those who fell and to those who carry on.”
The New York Times’ David W. Dunlap described it yesterday:
“The first large-scale 9/11 monument at ground zero,” a bold, literal and almost neo-Classical 56-foot-long bronze relief… ” was unveiled yesterday on the side of “10 House,” the home of Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10, across Liberty Street from the World Trade Center.”
Martin V. Rambusch describes the monument in fuller detail, in this multimedia presentation
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke at the unveiling ceremony:
He later blasted city, state and federal officials for failing to build a memorial at Ground Zero nearly five years after the terrorist attacks… “Forget about the buildings, the office space - that should all come second,” he said. “The focus has to be on the memorial. Get it right. Future generations will respect us for that.”
While politicians continue to dicker over the Ground Zero memorial, firefighters quietly built their own tribute to their 343 fallen brothers. Money was raised by law firm Holland & Knight, which lost one of its partners, volunteer firefighter Glenn Winuk, in the World Trade Center.
As did FDNY Chief of Department Peter Hayden, who spoke:
“… without so much as a note card before him. He had the eloquence of someone who has witnessed human beings at their most magnificent.
“”And yet the firefighters kept coming,” he said. “Putting themselves in harm’s way so that others might live. They climbed skyward.”
“He described the collapse of the south tower and then the north. His voice thickened as he talked of firefighters for whom the department was a family calling.
“”They said, ‘Chief, have you seen my father? Have you seen my son? Have you seen my brother?’” he recalled.
“Hayden reminded everyone that the firefighters had kept up the recovery effort around the clock until there was nothing more to recover. He then offered the best summary to date of the failed effort by the powers that be to build a memorial in that still empty pit.
“”We’ve had empty promises from empty suits,” he said.
“Here was the candor that caused City Hall not to extend his two-year appointment, in essence forcing him into retirement this month, not even allowing him to remain until the fifth anniversary of 9/11. He concluded with the simplest of prayers.
“”May God bless these brave men, and may they rest in peace.”"
The names of the 343 are inscribed across the bottom of the monument, not in hierarchy, rather, in honor of them. It is but one example of respect both due and duly given to those whose job it was to be a hero everyday, who answered the call to duty, and who gave their all that others might live.
Whether their full story, as well as the full story of all the known and unknown heroes of 9/11, will be told across the street from Tenhouse remains to be seen.