A LIVING MONUMENT
By Keith Bettinger
A tree may still grow in Brooklyn, but the Survivor Tree survives at the World Trade Center.
On September 11th, 2001 343 New York City firefighters, 70 police officers and countless civilians died in a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.Also lost were five tremendous buildings, many surrounding businesses and the exquisite gardens that lent to the beauty of what was once the World Trade Center.
Amongst the debris, standing battered and bruised within the World Trade Center Gardens stood a Callery pear tree, now known as the Survivor Tree. Found nearly a month after the vicious attacks, its roots and branches, damaged by cascading debris, managed somehow to survive the attack while all the other plantings died.
It would have been easy to uproot the tree and cast it aside but this tree had to survive. It’s a living memorial.The tree was delicately removed from the World Trade Center site and turned over to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for loving care.
After much nurturing the tree was returned to the grounds of the World Trade Center and planted in the Glade.The Glade is a tribute to the hundreds of thousands of volunteers.The volunteers came from all parts of the country. They entered the site, and selflessly exposed themselves to toxins and other dangers.The Glade is a thank you to those volunteers for their selfless acts of heroism.
On September 11, 2013, the Survivor Tree became part of the seedling program. The chosen communities receive seedlings, some garnered from the Survivor Tree to plant as a remembrance of what the recipients have survived.
The Survivor Tree, stands thirty feet tall, as a living gift that now breathes life back into the United States and its citizens. As the Survivor Tree stands in the Glade, it seems to know what it means to visitors. Every spring it is the first tree in the Glade to sprout green leaves and the last tree to drop colorful autumn leaves. as if it is waving to the day’s visitors.Yes. a monument grows in Manhattan
About Keith Bettinger:
Keith Bettinger is a retired Suffolk County (N.Y.) Police Officer. He’s been writing for law enforcement publications for more than 35 years and has received 50 awards for his articles, stories, poems, and books. He has a Master’s Degree in Human Relations with a major in Clinical Counseling. During his career he received the department’s Bravery Medal, Silver Shield Award, Meritorious Police Service Award, Special Service Award, Professionalization Award, Department Recognition Award, five Headquarters commendations and six Precinct commendations. He also was a field training officer and an instructor on Post Shooting Trauma and Critical Incidents. Keith has written three books, FIGHTING CRIME WITH “SOME" DAY and LENNY, END OF WATCH and MURDER IN McHENRY.
