Visiting “Ground Zero” one night in late January, 2002 (my first trip to NYC after the 9/11 attacks) was an emotional experience that will live in my mind and heart forever. The intense bright lights being used to enable the cleaning of the debris from the site, the smells, the sound of construction vehicles “in reverse” beeping like a blaring siren, the taste of the air and the sense of “death” surrounding me are burned into my memory.

I hope Channel 13 will do a follow-up story for 9/11/09.The battles over the memorial at the crash site of Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA echoes much of the sentiments expressed in this story regarding the memorial in NYC. However, I would be remiss in not making others aware of the beautiful “Memorial Chapel” that was finished just outside Shanksville in time for the 9/11/02 observance ( http://www.flt93memorialchapel.org ). The completion of such an amazing “spiritual refuge” by the founder Reverend Alphonse T. Mascherino (current director/curator) in only one year is PROOF of what a local community can make happen without government bureaucracy.

I recommend visiting the website above and making the journey to Shanksville to see what has been accomplished there ~ Zev Bek