Families of 9/11 victims speak to Obama
there is another major story on this thursday because for
the past few days the death of Osama Bin laden
has filled the news today
President Obama traveled to New york city where the headlines
belonged to the victims of Bin laden's attack on America
The president started his trip shaking hands of the men
at a firehouse in New York City
15 men from this unit died on 911 in his
only comments of the day the president offered these words
of reassurance when we say we will never forget
We mean what we say and our commitment to making
sure that justice was done is something that transcended politics
From there the president moved to ground zero
Yeah thank you
It was a moment filled with silence as he laid
a wreath at the site of the ground zero memorial
and pause to reflect on the terrorism of the victims
About 3000 people died when the twin towers fell
President Obama met with families of about 60 of them
before leaving the city this afternoon
Gerald Owens was at ground zero for today's ceremony
Gerald joins us now with the story of that moving
moment
9.5 years ago President Bush came to new york and
said America will punish those responsible for the 9 11
attacks
President Obama's visit today turns the page in the most
painful chapter of american history
It was Barack Obama's first trip to Ground zero as
President
It was historic
It was short and very personal
He said he never forgot about us and He's very
honored to be here and he's uh he's grateful that
work that we were here
The president laid a wreath at the site of the
deadliest terrorist attack on American soil
He made no public remarks
This was about the nearly 3000 victims the workers bystanders
400 firefighters and police officers who died on that crystal
clear day 9.5 years ago
My husband would have been so proud
I know he's looking down and he's very proud
Jackie Cannizzaro husband a new york city firefighter was one
of the victims
She believes he would have approved of the ceremony in
his honor
The fact that his son was here and met the
president and fist pump the president I think it was
just I think he would be just so amazed and
so happy and so proud
It surpassed my hopes to be honest
I felt like the moment was very appropriate and very
um it spoke volumes about the events that have a
card and I just thought the president handled the whole
situation beautifully
The event attracted media attention from around the world security
was tight
Nothing was going to deprive the men and women for
whom this monument is being built daylight today reminds the
rest of the nation to never forget
I mean like I don't think anybody in new york
city has forgotten
Well I think when you're not affected an immediate area
Kind of people's idea is just will never happen again
New Yorkers are keenly aware of how vulnerable they now
are with Osama bin laden gone
The city that never sleeps can rest a little easier
but they do so with one eye open in lower
Manhattan Gerald Owens WRL
News