Meet a 9/11 Memorial Host

The MEMO blog introduces the dedicated people working at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.  Whether serving as a visitor services host, security guard or facilities manager, each member of the memorial team assures a meaningful, safe and memorable experience for the millions of visitors coming to the World Trade Center to pay their respects.

Lucie Iuzzolino, born in the Bronx and raised in Rockland County, N.Y., recently joined the 9/11 Memorial team as a visitor services host. On September 11, 2001, Iuzzolino was a junior at the University of Scranton when she heard news of the World Trade Center attacks just before her first morning class.  Like many other Americans that day, she recalls she did not initially recognize the magnitude of the attack and was stunned to find out that the towers had collapsed.

“I had known New York my whole life, and I had stood at the foot of those colossal structures,” Iuzzolino said.

She instantly thought of her father, who had been doing electrical work in the World Trade Center. After spending most of the day fearing for his safety, she finally heard from him and learned he fled Manhattan on foot over the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.  Iuzzolino spent the rest of the night among her classmates, holding a candlelight prayer vigil on campus.

Today, visitors to the memorial can meet Iuzzolino on the 9/11 Memorial plaza, answering questions about the memorial and helping visitors learn about the arrangement of the names.

“When working at the 9/11 Memorial, I am reminded that the human spirit is tremendously resilient,” Iuzzolino said.

When asked about the most rewarding part of her job, Iuzzolino responded, “Being a part of the healing process.”

By Allyson Philobos, Communications Associate for the 9/11 Memorial