Survivor Tree- National September 11 Memorial
Callery pear trees are commonly seen lining the sidewalks of New York City, from the Bronx to Brooklyn. The unique story of one particular Callery tree has its origins set at the site of the original World Trade Center.
In 1973, when the Twin Towers were built and dedicated, the outside plaza was used for community events and concerts. To add to its appearance for the many visitors from all over the world, benches and trees were featured on the plaza. The tree that has become known as the “Survivor Tree” was planted and placed in a concrete planter on the east side of the site.
After the tragic events of September 11, rescue and recovery workers searched for weeks for remains in the area that become known as Ground Zero. In October of 2001, Rebecca Clough, an employee of the NYC Department of Design and Construction, discovered a little tree during her recovery work. The tree was merely a stump, charred at its barks, but amazingly still sprouting leaves from the rubble below it. In 2001, the tree was removed from the site and replanted at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, where employees were able to keep the tree alive.
Years passed and the story of the tree remained relatively unknown until a cold day in December 2010, when the Callery tree was transported back to the site of what was then being constructed as the National September 11 Memorial. The “Survivor Tree” was back home joining 120 other oak trees already planted at the Memorial.
Present at the replanting of the tree was Mayor Bloomberg and several survivors of the World Trade Center attack. One survivor spoke and said, “it’s important that we all remember our innate capabilities to persevere in the face of terror.”
The “Survivor Tree” became a symbol of that perseverance and resilience. It still stands today and visitors to the National September 11 Memorial can see it and hear its amazing story from a museum tour guide. Many visitors leave tributes of flowers alongside it. It stands there reminding everyone of the possibility of survival and new life, after tragedy and loss.