A Fragment of History
A Fragment of History
Two years after terrorists detonated a van loaded with explosives in the parking garage of the World Trade Center killing six and injuring more than 1,000 innocent people, a memorial fountain, built directly above the blast site, was dedicated and opened to the public.
Designed by New York City artist, Elyn Zimmerman, the memorial design mirrored a temporary memorial created by Port Authority staff in March of 1993. The names of the victims, John DiGiovanni, Robert Kirkpatrick, Stephen Knapp, William Macko, Wilfredo Mercado, and Monica Rodriguez Smith (and her unborn child) were inscribed in a 30-foot by 30-foot granite memorial which was placed on the World Trade Center’s Austin J. Tobin Plaza.
On Sept. 11, 2001 the 1993 memorial fountain was destroyed. Only a single fragment from the 1993 memorial, bearing part of John Giovanni’s name, was recovered from the rubble.
On February 26, 2005, the remnant was placed in a temporary memorial near Ground Zero. For years, the fragment has been part of the ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the first attack on the World Trade Center.
A reliquary box was created by a friend of victim William Macko to house the fragment during the ceremony. The fragment has since been relocated to the 9/11 Memorial Museum where it can be seen on display with other artifacts from the 1933 bombing.
By 9/11 Memorial & Museum Staff
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