A full recognition of the 9/11 tragedy isn’t complete without a quick Staten Island Ferry ride to the St. George ferry landing, wherein less than a three minute walk along the St. George Esplanade, you will find yourself enclosed between two free-standing walls reminiscent of the Twin Tower buildings, in a monument staring directly at Ground Zero across New York Harbor.  The memorial was designed by New York architect Masayuki Sono, who was the winner of the 2003 architectural design competition for the monument. The inside of each wall bears a total of 278 9 x 11 granite plaques resembling postcards with the names of the 278 Staten Island residents who perished on 9/11 and one who died during the 1998 World Trade Center bombing. Each postcard offers a profile silhouette of the victim and each postcard faces directly toward Ground Zero.

It has been noted by many who have visited the monument that the experience of standing in the narrow strip between these two breathtaking walls while facing Ground Zero produces a feeling of identification with those who lost their lives. According to James Molinaro, Borough President (Retired) of Staten Island, “Maybe 60 percent of those of the people whose profile is here, their next of kin, their loved ones, didn’t receive any remains. This is their cemetery.”  Respectful visits to the memorial are free of charge.