The MEMO Blog

With Earth Day front of mind, we're highlighting Bram Gunther, Deputy Director of Forestry and Horticulture for the New York City Parks Department on 9/11, in the April installment of our "In Their Own Voices" series. Gunther talks about his role in saving the Callery Pear that became the Survivor Tree and what trees and nature in general can do for those grieving in a time of crisis. 

As we wrap up Women's History Month, trailblazer FDNY veteran Elizabeth Cascio reflects on her 39 years of service, her role in the response to the attacks, and her experience as a 9/11 cancer survivor. 

First Responder Brenda Berkman, an FDNY Lieutenant, channels the personal trauma of 9/11 into art that reflects the changing skyline — and resilience — of New York City since the attacks. 

With just over a month to go before the 11th annual 9/11 Memorial & Museum 5K, presented by RXR on April 30, John Quinn remembers his friend Joyce Capeneto, in whose memory he has participated for the past six years. 

Paddy McGee, an NYPD officer who appears in our 2023 Anniversary Digital Learning Experience, was inspired to enter public service when, as a child, he watched emergency workers responding to an incident in his Queens neighborhood. He went on to become a heroic first responder on 9/11 and the father of a newly minted Port Authority Police Officer as well. 

Nancy Seliga  worked for the Port Authority for nearly four decades, surviving both the 1993 bombing and the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. In this installment of our Rescue & Recovery: In Their Own Voices series, Nancy looks back on these horrific moments in history and shares her perspectives on their aftermath. 

Alan Reiss, who has served for two decades as liaison between the Port Authority and the developer of the World Trade Center site, recounts his experience on February 26, 1993 and shares his thoughts on the long-term impact of the day.

Our new President and CEO looks back on the highlights of 2022 with a hopeful eye on the coming year. 

In the latest installment of our "In Their Own Voices" series, Franciscan priest Father Brian Jordan recounts the time he spent ministering to rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero and delivering Sunday Mass at the base of the now iconic World Trade Center Cross. 

The legacy of Andrew Friedman, who was killed on 9/11 just two weeks after staring a job at the World Trade Center, lives on in the accessory company his twin sons founded after his death.