Curator Tells Story Behind FDNY ‘Dream Bike’ Memorial
Curator Tells Story Behind FDNY ‘Dream Bike’ Memorial
At 27 years old, Gerard Baptiste, a firefighter with New York City Fire Department, Ladder 9, developed an interest in motorcycles. In the summer of 2001, he purchased his first bike, a fixer-upper, and brought it to his East Village firehouse where he intended to work on its restoration. The bike sat in the firehouse and its beat-up condition became a running joke among Baptiste’s fellow firefighters. After Baptiste’s death on 9/11, the surviving members of his company took on the project of restoring the bike. With support from enthusiasts across the country, the 1979 Honda was transformed into a memorial motorcycle now known as the "Dream Bike."
After touring the country, the Dream Bike is now on view in the 9/11 Memorial Museum. It sits as a memorial to Baptiste and others from his firehouse, as well as all of the FDNY responders who gave their lives on 9/11. Listen to the 9/11 Memorial Museum Director of Collections Amy Weinstein tell the story of the evolution of the Dream Bike from a rundown motorcycle into a stunning memorial.
(Audio)
By 9/11 Memorial Staff
Previous Post
Woman Who Lost Father Now Helping Others With Tuesday's Children
When Mijal Tenenbaum was just three months old, her father was killed in the 1994 bombing in Argentina that killed 85 people and injured hundreds.
Next Post
The Lens: Capturing Life and Events at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
The Lens: Capturing Life and Events at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is a photography series devoted to documenting moments big and small that unfold at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.