ROOSEVELT ISLAND (September 10, 2018) - Consider visiting the Survivor's Tree on Roosevelt Island as part of tomorrow's 9/11 commemoration activities.
The tree is found behind Good Shepherd Plaza, 543 Main Street, where a plaque memorializes both residents and members of the FDNY Special Operations Command, stationed here on Roosevelt Island, that died during the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center September 11, 2001.
The Roosevelt Island tree was a sapling gift - from the citizens of Oklahoma City - from the original Survivor Tree, the 100-year-old elm that stood in the middle of a parking lot, surrounded by concrete and cars, outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
While some folks enjoyed parking under the limited shade of its limbs, others thought it was an eyesore. Not much went into caring for this tree — until it was the only thing left standing.
On April 19, 1995, a 4,000-pound bomb exploded at the federal building, killing 168 people, injuring hundreds and destroying multiple buildings. But this tree, amid the explosion and fires, survived.
It was almost cut down to recover evidence embedded in its trunk and limbs, but the community, survivors and rescue workers all came together to protect the tree as a symbol of resilience. Today, the tree thrives as part of a national memorial, surrounded by special features that protect and highlight it.
The Survivor Trees, in both Oklahoma City and Roosevelt Island, stand as a living reminder of survival and rebirth.
(Content from the Oklahoma City National Memorial website, Americanforests.org and Wikipedia).
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