Fifteen years ago today, under a clear blue sky, millions across our nation and overseas witnessed the horrific tragedy and watched in shock as our world was forever changed in 102 minutes. 

Today we remember the nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children who were killed in the attacks at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pa. Hundreds of family members of 9/11 victims and influential political and military figures gathered on the 9/11 Memorial for the 15th anniversary commemoration ceremony. 

"Despite the passage of time, together, we at the 9/11 Memorial with the millions of visitors who come from all over the world each year, continue to honor the pledge to never forget and ensure the names of those who were killed and the actions of so many who rushed into rather than away from danger remain a permanent part of history," 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels said.

As we stand in unity in solemn remembrance today, the nation will pause to reflect on how we can carry on the memories of our loved ones, now and forever.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels, Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Chris Ward today planted the “survivor tree,” marking its homecoming to the World Trade Center site. Bloomberg, who is Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial, also announced the completion of structural steel for the 9/11 Memorial Museum Pavilion.

9/11 survivors Keating Crown, Tom Canavan and Ret. FDNY Lt. Mickey Kross also attended the planting of the Survivor Tree.

The callery pear tree became known as the Survivor Tree after sustaining extensive damage, but living through the September 11, 2001, terror attacks at the World Trade Center. In October 2001, the tree with lifeless limbs, snapped roots and blackened trunk was discovered and freed from the piles of smoldering rubble in the plaza of the World Trade Center. The tree was originally planted in the 1970s in the vicinity of buildings four and five in the WTC complex near Church Street.

The damaged tree measured eight-feet tall when it arrived in November 2001 at the Parks Department’s Arthur Ross Nursery in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.  It was nursed back to health and today has grown to a height of about 30 feet. The tree returned to the site this morning from Van Cortlandt Park by a flatbed truck.

Now that it has been planted at the 9/11 Memorial, the tree will grow among hundreds of swamp white oak trees.

Updated: WABC reported on the survivor tree planting. The television station's website features several photos of the planting. Also, go to DNAinfo.com, to check out the story and photo gallery.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

This is the third and final story in a three-part series featuring words from ephemera collector Michael Ragsdale.  Ragsdale has been a collector of New York City event-specific paper ephemera and autographs since 1997.  He started collecting the items for fun while working as a cameraman capturing various events for  C-SPAN and others. Ragsdale hobby took  a new direction on the morning of September 11, 2001, when he began two aftermath-related collecting efforts, both important and unique.

Aug. 3, 2004 led to finding one of my favorite pieces during my seven-year effort of collecting paper history of the 9/11 aftermath. I was on Liberty Island filming for C-SPAN the reopening of the Statue of Liberty, initially closed to the public for security reasons after the 2001 terror strikes.

Because members of the media were required to get there hours before the event to setup (we even had our own boat ride), I was able to secure several pieces of event memorabilia, including an official program featuring an image of Lady Liberty by artist Peter Max.

 The historic celebration began with a group of red berets singing "This Is My Country" in acapella, followed by an introduction by CNN anchor Aaron Brown, the event's MC.  

Other speakers included U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, former Gov. George Pataki, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former president of WNET-TV, William F. Baker. There was also plenty of patriotic music from the Army’s 319th Statue of Liberty Band, the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus and the U.S. Army Band Herald Trumpeters.  The entire affair ended with  three New York City fire boats putting on an impressive show with arches of colored red and white water. Very cool. 

 This was another memorable post-9/11 event I am sure a lot of people will remember, including me. 

By Michael Ragsdale

I'm in a unique position. I see the arrivals of  most of the guests for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

They walk by the receiving desk at the lower Manhattan office on their way for construction updates, oral history appointments or consultations on exhibition design.  As they file pass me at breakneck speed, I'm always left with the sense that they're unaware of how many people who have visited this office, people as deeply involved as they are.

I also experience an abundance of telephone calls from some people whose names I recognize. Some I don't. Well, at least not at first.

One day a man called and  identified himself as Mike before asking to speak with 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels. Mike turned out to be New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Sitting at the front desk provides the opportunity to interact with many of these people and to see how all of their work is interwoven.  With six departments and more than 75 employees, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum team is a microcosm for the many professions that come together each week to work on a common goal. Ours is next year's opening of the 9/11 Memorial. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is scheduled to follow a year later.

As the opening dates draw near, I am certain many more faces - both old and new - will pass by the front desk.

By Alicia L. DiCristina, Receptionist to the 9/11 Memorial Museum