NYC-WTC_000230746

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

NEW YORK POST, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2001

Sacred site ■ By BRIDGET HARRISON and LAURA ITAUANO my wife’s picture, and I cry all day.” Ira who was the first

goes silent The sun will rise in si­ family member to claim a lence over ground zero death certificate for a today for the first time missing relative — said since Sept. II. as all work he is happy his two I pauses in preparation for “girls” are going. a massive memorial serv­ And they say they un- I ice. derstand his decision, but

for all-day The thrum of diesel need to be there, at generators and bulldozer ground zero, themselves. , engines — a loud and vir­ “It was an easy deci­ tually constant sound in sion," said Michele, who | . the last seven weeks — works for the Bank of was to be stilled for 24 New York at 1 Wall Street hours at the 16-acre site,

memorial — close enough to see the I until tonight at 7, in honor tower collapse that ■ ' of the terror victims. claimed her mother’s life. This afternoon, thou­ 'T’ve been to the scene ' sands of mourning family also,” she said. “And I felt ...J members will bow their closer to her, just being 1 heads and share in that si­ there — I just can't de- J lence at the invitation- scribe it any better.” ■ ' ; only memorial, scheduled "Families have to make ■ for 2 p.m. their own decision on Each family will . be whether it’s helpful to presented with an urn them or not," Mayor Giu­ containing ash from the liani said of the service, j site — a symbol of the “For some people, it is earthly remains denied to very comforting being ' , so many families by the there .., That's why this World Trade Center’s de­ is very optional.” struction. ------, - Some .... 5,000 - At dawn, volunteers people lost then lives or were to begin erecting are still missing in the 5 000 folding chairs along tragedy. Church Street -between Some family meinbers Cortlandt and Vesey > say they expect to draw streets, in front of a stage ; strength from the sacred specially set up on Dey , site. Street. Others say they still feel "We want people to be , too fragile to attend — a facing where the Twin difference of opinion evi- Towers once stood," said dent even within individ- Rosemarie O’Keefe, city ual families, like that of' commissioner of commu- Rita Blau, 52, of Bath nity assistance. Beach. Brooklyn. "But no one will be “I look at her picture stepping on the ashes or , and I cry every day for the sacred ground.” t her,” her husband, Ira, 49, Edward Cardinal Egan said yesterday. will lead prayers during Ira said he won’t be the one-hour, speech-free going to the service service, which will fea- ' today, although his ture Andrew • Lloyd | daughters, Michele, 32, Weber playing piano with ■ and Nicole, 23, will. the St. Luke's Orchestra, “I don't even know if I Other religious leaders, 1 want the urn,” he said, including Rabbi Joseph "I’m grieving in my own Potasnick, the Rev. Frank­ way.” lin Graham and NYPD "I’ve been to the site air chaplain Imam Izak E! ready, and I saw two Mu’eed Pasha, will also buildings down, and I felt take part. nothing,” Ira, a restaurant Afterward, the families manager, said of his wife will be invited to make | of 20 years, who worked their way to Pier 94. as a receptionist for a fin- where they’ll be pres- i ancial company on the ented with an American 70th floor of the south flag and an um contain- tower, ing ashes from the World “But I can look once at Trade Center site.

CITY_21MC100_011831840

NYC-WTC_000230746