9/11 Memorial President and CEO Joe Daniels directs planning, construction, development and operations for the 9/11 Memorial. Through his work, he is honored to meet many of the families, colleagues and friends, of the nearly 3,000 9/11 victims. Daniels will share his personal experiences at the memorial, and much more, in the "Thank You for Visiting" series on the MEMO blog.

On Sept. 11, we honored the thousands of men, women and children who were taken from us much too soon. We gathered together on the 9/11 Memorial plaza on the 11th anniversary, and like years past, the names were read aloud. After commemorating the anniversary of the attacks, I took time to reflect on the people I greeted, stood beside and embraced. My thoughts were also with the people who were unable to be there.

There are so many moving tributes I have witnessed, and the global response to this memorial is something I have never experienced. Through this new blog series, I want to share these moments with you as a way to further help preserve the memory of the men, women and children stripped away from their loved ones in an unforgettable act of terror.

Since the MEMO blog’s first post, it has served as the public’s window into work beyond the reconstruction at the World Trade Center. It also has demonstrated the incredible effort and dedication of the memorial and museum staff, and has lent a voice to our twin mission to preserve the memories of the victims and to educate the public on the history of 9/11. With the addition of this new series, I hope to provide a personal perspective on this special place. I am amazed by the number of visitors the memorial welcomes each day, and I encourage each one of you to return as we strive to keep our collective promise to never forget.

Thank you for visiting.

By Joe Daniels, 9/11 Memorial President and CEO

We have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

The 9/11 Memorial was dedicated this September for the families of those who were lost, and people from across the country and around the globe are now able to pay their respects at the World Trade Center site. It was a tremendous honor to open this place of remembrance and we continue to be inspired by the more than 500,000 people who have visited.

We are also thankful for the incredible support of people like you, who share our dedication to honoring the nearly 3,000 lives taken too soon in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The opening of the Memorial could not have happened without your generosity. We simply can't thank you enough for your commitment to this national tribute.

We are also deeply indebted to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country and its values. From our troops at home and abroad to our first responders, these individuals light even our darkest hours, and we are thankful for their sacrifice and commitment all year round.

As we come together this Thanksgiving, we are also reminded that this occasion can be a difficult one for those who are remembering lost loved ones and holidays past. Our thoughts go out to you and your families this holiday season.

By Joe Daniels, 9/11 Memorial President

At bedrock of the World Trade Center site, on an unfinished wall of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, Debra Burlingame used a black marker to scrawl a message in tribute to her brother, Capt. Charles "Chic" Burlingame, a pilot on American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11. 

Part of her message reads: "Pentagon Attack. 9-11-01. Never Forget. God Bless America."

Debra is a member of the 9/11 Memorial's board of directors, as are other 9/11 victims families. Because of their efforts and other members of the board, the 9/11 Memorial at the WTC site will open in a few months as a national tribute of honor and remembrance for visitors from across the globe.  

By Joe Daniels, 9/11 Memorial President