The Sphere stands as reminder of the damage and resilience of 9/11

LOWER MANHATTAN, N.Y. (WPIX) — The official ceremony to honor the people killed in the Sept. 11 attacks is on Friday. But a piece of the day's history is a daily memorial and reminder near the grounds of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. A bronze sphere sculpture has been part of the Lower Manhattan landscape for over five decades. Known as The Sphere, by artist Fritz Koenig, the sculpture was originally installed at the World Trade Center plaza in 1971. The dents and holes that cover its surface were never part of the original design. The Twin Towers collapsed around the art, and it was buried in the rubble. 'It's remarkable that it's survived right there, smack in the middle,' one observer said. For Mike Burke, it is more than an artifact. It is a physical symbol connecting the destruction of Sept. 11 with the lives lost and the strength of those who responded. 'It's an authentic artifact that holds the scars from the attacks and speaks to … the strength and resilience of the response to the attacks,' Burke said. Burke visits The Sphere in Liberty Park, next to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. His connection to the site and the sphere is personal. His brother, Captain Billy Burke of the New York City Fire Department, was killed while rescuing people inside the North Tower. 'I do want to tell the story. I want to honor him. I want to honor his memory. I want to convey his story to new generations coming up,' Mike Burke said. Memorials and plaques honoring Captain Burke can be found outside his former firehouse, Engine Company 21, in Midtown Manhattan. Mike Burke knows some of his brother's final words. As the rescue operation continued, he said, Captain Burke told his team, 'Keep going. I'm with two civilians. We'll meet at the rig.' He also spoke with a friend and said, 'This is my job. This is what I do.' Captain Burke was assisting two civilians, Edward 'Ed' Beyea and Abraham 'Abe' Zelmanowitz, when the North Tower collapsed. Mike Burke also helped to save The Sphere and return it closer to its original location. In 2017, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey moved The Sphere to Liberty Park from Battery Park, where it had been installed in the aftermath of the attacks. 'This is authentic history. It's the only place outside the museum you're going to see it. It speaks to the history and what happened here,' Mike Burke said. Twenty-five years later, the scars are still there, and the statue stands. 'The Sphere won. Here I am, 25 years later. People are gathering around, eating lunch, just like they were on September 10, 2001,' Mike Burke said. Mike Burke spends part of Sept. 11 each year at the firehouse, remembering his brother and the lives lost that day. Submit Correction Δ