They came hours after the collapse of the north tower, the last of the two iconic skyscrapers to fall. They would remain at Ground Zero for nearly a year.
First responders, construction workers, relief workers, engineers and contractors from New York and all over the world converged at the three sites of attack following the 2001 terror strikes. In New York, these brave men and women endured for nine months, removing about 1.8 million tons of what was left of the World Trade Center site. They helped pave the way to rebuild lower Manhattan and to heal the country.
Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the formal end of recovery operations on May 30, 2002. A special tribute to these heroes will be held throughout the evening at the 9/11 Memorial.
Show your support by leaving a comment on The MEMO thanking the tens of thousands of recovery workers who came to this country’s aid in its darkest hours. Leave a special tribute or say thank you on the 9/11 Memorial’s Facebook page and on Twitter @sept11memorial using the commemorative hashtag #May30WTC. Let us show these men and women how much we appreciate their sacrifice.
By Michael Frazier, Vice President of Communications of the 9/11 Memorial