The night before we were scheduled to visit the 9/11 Museum in New York last summer, we received a devastating news that Bob, my father-in-law, had passed away. Keith took the earliest flight to California to be with his family. The kids and I stayed in New York City, following my brother-in-law’s advise to continue our vacation.

The September 11 Memorial Museum was not the most appropriate place to visit, especially after the death of a loved one. But since we had already bought the tickets months in advance, we decided to stick with our scheduled itinerary. We arrived at the museum, eyes still swollen from crying all night. It took us a while to get the courage to begin the tour, knowing the stories we were about to deal with concerned death. We sat for an hour at the cafe on the top floor, still in disbelief that Bob was gone.

All of the events that took place on September 11 were completely presented. Not a tiny detail was spared surrounding the event. Everything— from the recorded voice messages of the victims to their loved ones saying their goodbyes to the difficult-to-watch videos of people falling from the tower—were all shown to the public. Everyone had tears in their eyes.

Joshua was only 3 years old and Jude was not even born yet on September 11, 2001 but what they witnessed inside the memorial museum was something they will never forget.

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Pictures of missing persons
Pictures of missing persons

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This is called "The Survivors's Stairs". The stair artifact situated between the escalator and the grand staircase once connected the northern edge of the World Trade Center's Austin J. Tobin Plaza to the Vesey Street sidewalk.
This is called “The Survivors’s Stairs”. The stair artifact situated between the escalator and the grand staircase once connected the northern edge of the World Trade Center’s Austin J. Tobin Plaza to the Vesey Street sidewalk below. On Sept. 11, 2001, the stairs and an adjacent escalator provided an unobstructed exit for hundreds seeking to escape. To reach the stairs, many had to cross the Plaza, beneath treacherous debris from the north Tower.

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Reposed behind this wall are the remains of many who perished at the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2001
Reposed behind this wall are the remains of many who perished at the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2001
Section of steel facade, North Tower, floors 96-99. This piece of steel, once part of the north facade of the North Tower, was located at the point of impact where hijacked Flight 11 pierced the building at the 93rd through the 99th floors.
Section of steel facade, North Tower, floors 96-99. This piece of steel, once part of the north facade of the North Tower, was located at the point of impact where hijacked Flight 11 pierced the building at the 93rd through the 99th floors.
Dedication Pedestal: The first tenants moved into 1 World Trade Center (North Tower) in December 1970 and into 2 World Trade Center (South Tower) 13 months later, before construction of either skyscraper had been completed. The world's tallest buildings were dedicated in a ribbon- cutting ceremony on April 4, 1973. This stainless steel pedestal was installed on the five-acre Plaza to commemorate the occasion.
Dedication Pedestal:
The first tenants moved into 1 World Trade Center (North Tower) in December 1970 and into 2 World Trade Center (South Tower) 13 months later, before construction of either skyscraper had been completed. The world’s tallest buildings were dedicated in a ribbon- cutting ceremony on April 4, 1973. This stainless steel pedestal was installed on the five-acre Plaza to commemorate the occasion.

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“No day shall erase you from the memory of time”- Virgil