9/11 Memorial Glade Opens to the Public

This article was originally posted on the official NY1 website, written by Dean Meminger, we are simply sharing it raise awareness among our 9/11 Community.

“By Dean Meminger
PUBLISHED 7:12 PM ET May. 30, 2019

With the playing of "Taps," the 9/11 Memorial Glade opened to the public Thursday. It is a place to honor and remember the tens of thousands who have died or are battling illnesses after being exposed to the toxic debris and dust from the collapse of the World Trade Center. 

Sal Turturici is a former EMS worker battling for his life. 

Photo by 🇨🇭 Claudio Schwarz | @purzlbaum on Unsplash

"A cancer that would be in the brain or the thyroid was found in my colon. Now, it's in my liver. So that is something that doesn't happen. Because I was down here," Turturici said.

The Memorial Glade is a pathway with six granite monoliths that appear to break out of the ground and point towards the sky.

Embedded in the granite is steel from the Twin Towers.

For nine months, search and recovery personnel worked at this site, not knowing they were breathing poisoned air.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg reflected on the pain and suffering many have endured.

"For some, the end of the recovery was the beginning of an even more difficult journey of sickness and disease," Bloomberg said. "Tragically, not all who labored so valiantly for their city and country in the aftermaths after the attacks survived."

Nearly 18 years after the attacks brought down the Twin Towers, almost 50,000 people have been certified by the government as sick, a number that continues to grow. They include first responders, construction workers, volunteers and even those who lived, worked or went to school in the neighborhood.

Firefighter Ray Pfeifer died two years ago. He was a leader in getting health care for sick first responders.

His widow, Karen, says he was truly dedicated. 

"Searching and digging at Ground Zero without being asked, without being told and without thinking about the consequences," 

Comedian Jon Stewart has been a major advocate for 9/11 health benefits and helped to raise funds for this memorial.

"Look, no matter what we do, it's not necessarily going to solve their grief or their suffering, but whatever it is that can be done to make it so that their families don't have that compounded," he said.

For many of those battling illnesses, they know that one day, this will be the location where their family and friends will come to remember them.

"A cancer that would be in the brain or the thyroid was found in my colon. Now, it's in my liver. So that is something that doesn't happen. Because I was down here," Turturici said.

The Memorial Glade is a pathway with six granite monoliths that appear to break out of the ground and point towards the sky.

Embedded in the granite is steel from the Twin Towers.

For nine months, search and recovery personnel worked at this site, not knowing they were breathing poisoned air.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg reflected on the pain and suffering many have endured.

"For some, the end of the recovery was the beginning of an even more difficult journey of sickness and disease," Bloomberg said. "Tragically, not all who labored so valiantly for their city and country in the aftermaths after the attacks survived."

Nearly 18 years after the attacks brought down the Twin Towers, almost 50,000 people have been certified by the government as sick, a number that continues to grow. They include first responders, construction workers, volunteers and even those who lived, worked or went to school in the neighborhood.

Firefighter Ray Pfeifer died two years ago. He was a leader in getting health care for sick first responders.

His widow, Karen, says he was truly dedicated. 

"Searching and digging at Ground Zero without being asked, without being told and without thinking about the consequences," 

Comedian Jon Stewart has been a major advocate for 9/11 health benefits and helped to raise funds for this memorial.

"Look, no matter what we do, it's not necessarily going to solve their grief or their suffering, but whatever it is that can be done to make it so that their families don't have that compounded," he said.

For many of those battling illnesses, they know that one day, this will be the location where their family and friends will come to remember them.

"A cancer that would be in the brain or the thyroid was found in my colon. Now, it's in my liver. So that is something that doesn't happen. Because I was down here," Turturici said.

The Memorial Glade is a pathway with six granite monoliths that appear to break out of the ground and point towards the sky.

Embedded in the granite is steel from the Twin Towers.

For nine months, search and recovery personnel worked at this site, not knowing they were breathing poisoned air.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg reflected on the pain and suffering many have endured.

"For some, the end of the recovery was the beginning of an even more difficult journey of sickness and disease," Bloomberg said. "Tragically, not all who labored so valiantly for their city and country in the aftermaths after the attacks survived."

Nearly 18 years after the attacks brought down the Twin Towers, almost 50,000 people have been certified by the government as sick, a number that continues to grow. They include first responders, construction workers, volunteers and even those who lived, worked or went to school in the neighborhood.

Firefighter Ray Pfeifer died two years ago. He was a leader in getting health care for sick first responders.

His widow, Karen, says he was truly dedicated. 

"Searching and digging at Ground Zero without being asked, without being told and without thinking about the consequences," 

Comedian Jon Stewart has been a major advocate for 9/11 health benefits and helped to raise funds for this memorial.

"Look, no matter what we do, it's not necessarily going to solve their grief or their suffering, but whatever it is that can be done to make it so that their families don't have that compounded," he said.

For many of those battling illnesses, they know that one day, this will be the location where their family and friends will come to remember them.

"A cancer that would be in the brain or the thyroid was found in my colon. Now, it's in my liver. So that is something that doesn't happen. Because I was down here," Turturici said.

The Memorial Glade is a pathway with six granite monoliths that appear to break out of the ground and point towards the sky.

Embedded in the granite is steel from the Twin Towers.

For nine months, search and recovery personnel worked at this site, not knowing they were breathing poisoned air.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg reflected on the pain and suffering many have endured.

"For some, the end of the recovery was the beginning of an even more difficult journey of sickness and disease," Bloomberg said. "Tragically, not all who labored so valiantly for their city and country in the aftermaths after the attacks survived."

Nearly 18 years after the attacks brought down the Twin Towers, almost 50,000 people have been certified by the government as sick, a number that continues to grow. They include first responders, construction workers, volunteers and even those who lived, worked or went to school in the neighborhood.

Firefighter Ray Pfeifer died two years ago. He was a leader in getting health care for sick first responders.

His widow, Karen, says he was truly dedicated. 

"Searching and digging at Ground Zero without being asked, without being told and without thinking about the consequences," 

Comedian Jon Stewart has been a major advocate for 9/11 health benefits and helped to raise funds for this memorial.

"Look, no matter what we do, it's not necessarily going to solve their grief or their suffering, but whatever it is that can be done to make it so that their families don't have that compounded," he said.

For many of those battling illnesses, they know that one day, this will be the location where their family and friends will come to remember them.

"A cancer that would be in the brain or the thyroid was found in my colon. Now, it's in my liver. So that is something that doesn't happen. Because I was down here," Turturici said.

The Memorial Glade is a pathway with six granite monoliths that appear to break out of the ground and point towards the sky.

Embedded in the granite is steel from the Twin Towers.

For nine months, search and recovery personnel worked at this site, not knowing they were breathing poisoned air.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg reflected on the pain and suffering many have endured.

"For some, the end of the recovery was the beginning of an even more difficult journey of sickness and disease," Bloomberg said. "Tragically, not all who labored so valiantly for their city and country in the aftermaths after the attacks survived."

Nearly 18 years after the attacks brought down the Twin Towers, almost 50,000 people have been certified by the government as sick, a number that continues to grow. They include first responders, construction workers, volunteers and even those who lived, worked or went to school in the neighborhood.

Firefighter Ray Pfeifer died two years ago. He was a leader in getting health care for sick first responders.

His widow, Karen, says he was truly dedicated. 

"Searching and digging at Ground Zero without being asked, without being told and without thinking about the consequences," 

Comedian Jon Stewart has been a major advocate for 9/11 health benefits and helped to raise funds for this memorial.

"Look, no matter what we do, it's not necessarily going to solve their grief or their suffering, but whatever it is that can be done to make it so that their families don't have that compounded," he said.

For many of those battling illnesses, they know that one day, this will be the location where their family and friends will come to remember them.