September 11, 2001

We remember those who were killed on September 11, 2001, in New York City, Shanksville, and Washington D.C.

On this September 11th, 17 years after the devastating attack that impacted us all, we focus on resilience. The definition of resilience is the capacity to recover from difficulties and move forward. New York City and Oklahoma City are two communities who perfectly exhibit this trait. In the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and 9/11 Memorial & Museum sit symbols of resilience shown in Survivor Trees. Below, see how the trees looking shortly after they were damaged and how they look today.

NEW YORK CITY
This tree, a survivor of 9/11 was found in October 2001 and brought to the Parks Department’s Arthur Ross Nursery in the Bronx to be replanted. The Callery pear tree was nursed back to health from eight feet tall to 30 feet tall. The tree was returned in 2010 to the National September 11 Memorial and became known as the Survivor Tree.

OKLAHOMA CITY
An American elm tree was just yards away from the 1995 explosion of a truck bomb. It shouldn’t have survived the blast; however, this amazing tree not only survived, but it thrives still today at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Designated as part of the Memorial in 1999, the Survivor Tree has come to stand as a symbol of hope and resilience for the entire Oklahoma community.

Oklahomans Killed on 9/11

As well as the thousands killed on 9/11, we remember those who were Oklahomans.

Pentagon

Ronald Milam
Brian Anthony Moss
Chin Sun Pak Wells

World Trade Center

David Berry
Wayne T. Davis
David Harlow Rice
Jayesh Shah

Heroes of Our Shared Experience

23 years ago, Sgt. Michael S. Curtin NYPD-ESU, Lt. Kevin C. Dowdell FDNY, Deputy Chief Raymond M. Downey FDNY, Lt. Michael A. Esposito FDNY, Battalion Chief John J. Fanning FDNY, Capt. Terrence S. Hatton FDNY, FF William D. Lake FDNY, PO Thomas Langone NYPD-ESU, and Lt. Peter C. Martin FDNY responded to the Oklahoma City bombing helping with the rescue and recovery.