Radio Free Montone: We Are Winning ... Winning Big
By John Montone, 1010 WINS
Out of the death and dust has arisen a massive masterpiece of modern architecture and now there is life in One World Trade Center.
At the site of one of the most evil acts in human history there is reason to believe that in the end the fanatics of Al-Qaeda and its murderous off-spring ISIS will like the Soviet Union end up on the scrapheap of history. Conde Nast Publishing has moved into the gleaming concrete, steel and glass skyscraper. More companies will follow.
This "gift to the city," as the project manager called it, stands a very American 1776-feet high, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. And all around it there are new businesses. Media firms and chic bars. The old 9-5 financial district is now a 24/7 collection of commercial and residential neighborhoods. While Osama Bin Laden sleeps with the fishes, more and more people…mainly young professionals are moving into Lower Manhattan to live their lives.
We are winning, winning big.
But the place called, Ground Zero, for so many years remains hallowed ground. I was reminded of that early Monday morning as I approached men and women on their way to and from work and asked about 1 World Trade Center's first business tenant. A fellow in a steelworkers jacket stopped to talk. Looking up at the building he said, "I think it's a great thing, back in business the way it should be." He paused then told me he lost his brother on 9/11. Then he said again of a business moving in, "It's a good thing, time goes on."
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Gerard Gogliormella spent three months after the attacks digging through the burning ashes looking for the remains of his brother Michael. Born in Brooklyn Michael was 43. He had been married for 16-years. He and his wife Daniela had a seven month old daughter, Gillian. Michael worked for Cantor-Fitzgerald and boarded a train that lovely September morning from his home in New Providence.
On Monday morning at the base of the beautiful new 104-story marvel, standing on what will always be sacred earth, Michael Gogliormella's brother, Gerard, spoke into the 1010 WINS microphone and then walked past the place where his brother and so many others suddenly vanished forever.
