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City To 9/11 Survivors: No Anniversary Ceremony For You!
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jul 13, 2011
Modified Jul 13, 2011
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Jul 13, 2011
Modified Jul 13, 2011
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The tenth anniversary of 9/11 is fast approaching, tickets to the soon to open Memorial are going fast, and victim's families are preparing for the sad day. But one group is up in arms over a recent decision out of the Mayor's office regarding the anniversary ceremony. This year, for the first time, there will apparently be no room for survivors at the official commemoration of the attacks.
"In years past, members of this survivors' group were permitted to attend once it was clear that attendance numbers of victims’ family members would allow it," Andrew Brent, spokesman for the mayor's office, told DNAinfo. "The commemoration ceremony is for victims' family members, and this year—on the 10th anniversary of 9/11—the expectation is there will be no opportunity for members of the group to attend."
Survivors groups were told of the decision recently and already hundreds have signed an online petition asking the city to reconsider. "I have been attending the ceremonies and would be heart broken if I were not allowed to come to this special anniversary," one woman wrote. "I survived both bombings and worked at The American Stock Exchange for over 25 yrs. We were the first building to re-open and I wore a mask, went home with PTSD, bloody noses, itchy,rashy skin from the air, and felt like I was having a heart attack everyday to 2005. Please don't keep us away, I lost 9 co-workers having breakfast at Windows On The World."
"Amongst those that lost their lives; those that survived them; and those that served to help others ... there is us—the thousands who suffered terribly for what they witnessed, what they endured and lost something significant of ourselves that we live without day in and day out for the last ten years and the rest of our days forward," wrote another. "It is our lives we are also acknowledging and the bond amongst ourselves and those who are gone—all on that horrific morning. We should be there. Simple."
Depending on how many seats victim's families claim there may be a few spots open for survivors at the last second but either way, no matter what the Mayor's office says, survivors plan on being there on the anniversary. "Even when they could barely get a thousand people there, or when the weather was horrible, survivors were there to remember those who were lost and show our thanks for being the lucky ones to get out," wrote Survivor's network organizers Richard Zimbler, Brendan Chellis and Lori Mogol. "We do intend to be there one way or another."
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9/11
9/11 museum and memorial
9/11 tenth anniversary
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Garth Johnston
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