Behind The Lens: Waterfront Warrior

A veteran holds a young boy on his shoulders as he stands beside a reflecting pool at the Memorial.
A veteran visits the 9/11 Memorial with his young son. Photo by Jin Lee, 9/11 Memorial.

This father and son visited the 9/11 Memorial this summer with Long Beach Waterfront Warriors, a nonprofit group that provides relaxing beach vacations and other activities to wounded, ill and injured combat veterans and their families. New York City Police Department and Port Authority Police Department officers that were on duty that day formally welcomed the Waterfront Warriors to the site.

This moment stood out to me because of how young the son is. I’m a father myself, and I couldn’t help but wonder how grateful he might be to be back home and carrying his son like this. He served his country and made great sacrifices. Now he is home with his family. For me, this illustrated what I hope was a moment of peace.

By Jin Lee, Director of Photography, 9/11 Memorial

Previous Post

Remembering Philippe Petit’s High-Wire Walk 43 Years Later

A cover of The New Yorker pays tribute to Philippe Petit’s high-wire walk. The cover illustration shows Petit balancing on a white background. The back cover illustration shows him above two square footprints in lower Manhattan where the Twin Towers used to be.

During the early morning hours of Aug. 7, 1974, 24-year-old French high-wire artist Philippe Petit took his position at 1,350 feet above ground on the edge of the South Tower.

View Blog Post

Next Post

John Seelie, Pearl Harbor Vet Who Visited 9/11 Memorial, Dies at 94

John Seelie, a U.S. Army veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor, holds an American flag as he sits in a wheelchair during a visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

John Seelie, a Pearl Harbor survivor who visited the 9/11 Memorial three months ago, has died at 94.

View Blog Post
View All Blog Posts