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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview With Rosemarie O'Keefe
Aired October 27, 2001 - 11:25 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Search and rescue -- or search and recovery teams, rather, have been on the job nonstop at the World Trade Center site since September 11. But that work will come to a halt for 24 hours starting this evening. An interdenominational memorial service will be held at the site tomorrow for those lost in the Twin Towers. The service is expected to last an hour, and it's open only to workers and family members.
Well, Rosemarie O'Keefe is New York City's Commissioner for Community Assistance. Her office organized tomorrow's memorial service.
Good morning Rosemarie.
ROSEMARIE O'KEEFE, COMMISSIONER FOR COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE: Good morning Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Tell us about the hour and what will take place tomorrow.
O'KEEFE: Well, tomorrow there will be a beautiful memorial where family and friends can come together to remember the loved ones that they lost at the World Trade Center, on what has almost become sacred ground. It will be an interdenominational service with a prayer and music.
And we're very pleased that Cardinal Egan will be joining us, and Reverend Franklin Graham, Niman Tasha (ph), and Rabbi Potasnik, and Andrea Bocelli came in from Rome just to be with the families, and Andrew Lloyd Webber will be joining us, and Renee Fleming.
The families will have an opportunity to be together and share their stories and just say a prayer for all of those that we've lost on September 11.
PHILLIPS: Wow, that's quite a lineup. I have to ask you, why did you choose ground zero? No doubt, this is a very difficult place for these people to come back to.
O'KEEFE: Yes it is, but we gave it a lot of thought and the mayor asked us, most importantly, to consult the families, discuss options, and see what they felt comfortable with.
And we had a regular committee meet with families, even with representatives from Oklahoma City, with mental health professionals, and somewhat -- it's not closure, but somewhat answered questions to go back to that site. And it really will be, for many families, the only location where they will be able to say goodbye.
PHILLIPS: You know, you mentioned closure, and I know you've been working very close with the victims' families, and I know you've been helping them get urns and -- because of a lot of them not being able to get the bodies back. You're allowing them to take earth, actual earth from this area and put in the urn.
O'KEEFE: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Can you just tell me how this is affecting folks with regard to the healing process. How has it affected you, and how do you see that helping these folks?
O'KEEFE: Well Kyra, believe it or not, the families did -- we see them every day. We work with them every day. And you just sort of become their extended family; and we share so many things. And it was started at the family center where perhaps something, some memory, some memento from where it happened could be put together.
And of course, we had to be careful, and we worked it out with all of the people -- all of the experts. And it is clean earth from the World Trade site, and even the container that it will be put into was given great thought. And all of the comments have all been positive.
And when they come to the pier tomorrow after the memorial, there will be a very beautiful and solemn transfer of this earth to them in a private booth with an American flag at its side. And it will be very ceremonial, just as the transfer of the urns to the pier today was very ceremonial, with bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" and police and fire honor guards.
So for the entire amount of time that we've been together with the families, it has just been one large community, just helping and supporting. And we are ever grateful to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and EMS that are the support families that can support all these families with us.
So the families are pleased that this will be a transfer of the earth from the World Trade site.
PHILLIPS: Well, I know the families are forever grateful to you, too. Rosemarie O'Keefe, we will look forward to the voice of Andrea Bocelli and the memorial service tomorrow.
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