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CNN Live At Daybreak

Preparations Under Way for Memorial Services at Ground Zero

Aired September 11, 2003 - 05:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we want to take you to ground zero, where preparations are under way for a memorial service there, many memorial services, I should say.
So let's go to reporter Kristin Shaughnessy of CNN affiliate NY1.

Good morning.

KRISTIN SHAUGHNESSY, NY1 CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, lower Manhattan will stand still later this morning, the ceremony beginning at 8:30 this morning. And there is a very different feel to the atmosphere here this morning from last year. That is because you're not seeing as many patriotic symbols, as many American flags, and, also, there is not as many television crews as we saw last year.

But for the families, the emotions are still very raw. And last year bagpipers marched through the night, starting in each of the five boroughs of New York City, meeting here at the Trade Center site. It was the official and somber start to the first anniversary.

This year, though, the focus is on children. Two hundred children who lost relatives in the attacks will take turns reading the victims' names. They will do it in pairs. They'll pause only four times during the lengthy list, twice to mark the times that each plane hit the towers and twice to mark the times when the towers fell.

Now, while the names are read, family members will be able to walk down the ramp that you see down there to the lowest level of the site. And that is where, if you remember last year, they laid flowers and other mementoes in honor of the victims.

The program begins, as I said, at 8:30 this morning. At 8:46 they'll have that first moment of silence in observance of the time the North Tower was hit. The readings of the names will continue then until 9:03. That's when everyone will pause again for another moment of silence. That's the time the second plane struck the South Tower.

There will be yet another moment of silence at 9:59. That is the time the South Tower collapsed in 2001. And a final pause at 10:29, when the North Tower fell.

The reading of the names will continue then, until the list is complete. At 12 o'clock noon, you will have two trumpeters from the police and fire departments playing "Taps." And that is how this ceremony will conclude. Now, the vice president was expected to be here at the site, but the plans changed earlier this week because of security concerns and logistics in regard to the family. So he will now attend a Port Authority event that will be held later this afternoon.

That is the latest from the World Trade Center site.

Kristin Shaughnessy, NY1.

Back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, don't go just yet. We have questions for you.

SHAUGHNESSY: Um-hmm?

COSTELLO: Two things strike me about this. Just in looking at the site, how different it looks than from a year ago and a year before that.

SHAUGHNESSY: And it could be disturbing to some of the family members who have not been here in the past year, because, as you remember, last year it was basically an empty pit and they had a circle there where people could lay flowers and mementoes. And this year, obviously a lot of construction has been done in this last year.

COSTELLO: And the other thing that strikes me in talking to friends in New York, the weather is supposed to be beautiful today. And, of course, it was beautiful that day two years ago. And some people are saying that the weather just serves as a, I don't know, an extra reminder of what happened that day.

SHAUGHNESSY: It was a picture perfect day that day, on September 11 of 2001. And if you remember last year, it was a beautiful day, but the wind started kicking up during the ceremony and everybody was kind of afraid to make mention of it. But then as people started talking, there were actually tables that were -- one table went over this balcony right here. And the wind picked up just as the ceremony began. And family members say they just thought that was a strange occurrence.

COSTELLO: One more question, as to what's going to be on that site eventually. Are there any firm decisions about that yet?

SHAUGHNESSY: There are. Obviously, you have the Port Authority doing some work here on subway lines and stuff. That is concrete. But the other stuff, the memorial, that is still being -- you know, it's a big ongoing debate here in New York City as to what exactly that permanent memorial will be and what will be preserved, what will not be.

So they're saying no commercial space on the footprints of the towers. But aside from that, we know there will be some commercial buildings being put up. As to what exactly will be built, that is being determined.

COSTELLO: Yes. It's a political fight now, isn't it? Kristin Shaughnessy of CNN affiliate NY1 joining us live from ground zero this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Zero>


Aired September 11, 2003 - 05:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we want to take you to ground zero, where preparations are under way for a memorial service there, many memorial services, I should say.
So let's go to reporter Kristin Shaughnessy of CNN affiliate NY1.

Good morning.

KRISTIN SHAUGHNESSY, NY1 CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, lower Manhattan will stand still later this morning, the ceremony beginning at 8:30 this morning. And there is a very different feel to the atmosphere here this morning from last year. That is because you're not seeing as many patriotic symbols, as many American flags, and, also, there is not as many television crews as we saw last year.

But for the families, the emotions are still very raw. And last year bagpipers marched through the night, starting in each of the five boroughs of New York City, meeting here at the Trade Center site. It was the official and somber start to the first anniversary.

This year, though, the focus is on children. Two hundred children who lost relatives in the attacks will take turns reading the victims' names. They will do it in pairs. They'll pause only four times during the lengthy list, twice to mark the times that each plane hit the towers and twice to mark the times when the towers fell.

Now, while the names are read, family members will be able to walk down the ramp that you see down there to the lowest level of the site. And that is where, if you remember last year, they laid flowers and other mementoes in honor of the victims.

The program begins, as I said, at 8:30 this morning. At 8:46 they'll have that first moment of silence in observance of the time the North Tower was hit. The readings of the names will continue then until 9:03. That's when everyone will pause again for another moment of silence. That's the time the second plane struck the South Tower.

There will be yet another moment of silence at 9:59. That is the time the South Tower collapsed in 2001. And a final pause at 10:29, when the North Tower fell.

The reading of the names will continue then, until the list is complete. At 12 o'clock noon, you will have two trumpeters from the police and fire departments playing "Taps." And that is how this ceremony will conclude. Now, the vice president was expected to be here at the site, but the plans changed earlier this week because of security concerns and logistics in regard to the family. So he will now attend a Port Authority event that will be held later this afternoon.

That is the latest from the World Trade Center site.

Kristin Shaughnessy, NY1.

Back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, don't go just yet. We have questions for you.

SHAUGHNESSY: Um-hmm?

COSTELLO: Two things strike me about this. Just in looking at the site, how different it looks than from a year ago and a year before that.

SHAUGHNESSY: And it could be disturbing to some of the family members who have not been here in the past year, because, as you remember, last year it was basically an empty pit and they had a circle there where people could lay flowers and mementoes. And this year, obviously a lot of construction has been done in this last year.

COSTELLO: And the other thing that strikes me in talking to friends in New York, the weather is supposed to be beautiful today. And, of course, it was beautiful that day two years ago. And some people are saying that the weather just serves as a, I don't know, an extra reminder of what happened that day.

SHAUGHNESSY: It was a picture perfect day that day, on September 11 of 2001. And if you remember last year, it was a beautiful day, but the wind started kicking up during the ceremony and everybody was kind of afraid to make mention of it. But then as people started talking, there were actually tables that were -- one table went over this balcony right here. And the wind picked up just as the ceremony began. And family members say they just thought that was a strange occurrence.

COSTELLO: One more question, as to what's going to be on that site eventually. Are there any firm decisions about that yet?

SHAUGHNESSY: There are. Obviously, you have the Port Authority doing some work here on subway lines and stuff. That is concrete. But the other stuff, the memorial, that is still being -- you know, it's a big ongoing debate here in New York City as to what exactly that permanent memorial will be and what will be preserved, what will not be.

So they're saying no commercial space on the footprints of the towers. But aside from that, we know there will be some commercial buildings being put up. As to what exactly will be built, that is being determined.

COSTELLO: Yes. It's a political fight now, isn't it? Kristin Shaughnessy of CNN affiliate NY1 joining us live from ground zero this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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