TIMELINE
PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF
First Responders The Survivor Tree
A Callery pear tree became known as the “Survivor Tree” after enduring the September 11, 2001, terror attacks at the World Trade Center. In October 2001, a severely damaged tree was discovered at Ground Zero, with snapped roots and burned and broken branches. The tree was removed from the rubble and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. After its recovery and rehabilitation, the tree was returned to the Memorial in 2010. New, smooth limbs extended from the gnarled stumps, creating a visible demarcation between the tree’s past and present. Today, the tree stands as a living reminder of resilience, survival, and rebirth. Survivor Tree Seedling Program Each year, the 9/11 Memorial gives seedlings from the Survivor Tree to three communities that have endured tragedy in recent years. The Survivor Tree seedling program was launched on September 11, 2013, in partnership with Bartlett Tree Experts of Stamford, Connecticut, and John Bowne High School in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens. The following communities have committed to nurturing these trees to serve as landmarks symbolizing resiliency and hope.
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The PFIA Protector • www.pfia1913.org
Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people in February 2018, including students and staff members, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. London, England, in memory of those who lost their lives, and on behalf of the bereaved, the survivors, and all those affected by the tragic Grenfell Tower fire. Puerto Rico, after the catastrophic Hurricane Maria, which left an estimated 2,975 people dead in its wake.
2018
Las Vegas, Nevada, where a gunman killed 58 people and injured 400 more at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in October 2017. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where 11 people were shot and killed and six were injured at the Tree of Life Synagogue. The country of Greece, where 102 died and 172 were injured in a series of wildfires in 2018. The municipality of Marathon will accept the seedling on behalf of the country.
2019
2020
The Bahamas, devastated by Hurricane Dorian, which killed 70 people. Christchurch, New Zealand, the site of a mass shooting, which killed 51 people. Seedlings were also donated to five hospitals throughout New York City’s five boroughs in honor of the healthcare workers responding to the health crisis.
