‘Survivor trees’ added to Sept. 11 memorial

The Village of Valley Stream’s Sept. 11 memorial grew by two saplings this year, which were featured during the village’s remembrance ceremony last Friday.

The saplings were grown from the charred trunk of a callery pear tree that was recovered under the rubble at the World Trade Center site. It was christened the “Survivor Tree” and rehabilitated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. About 400 saplings were generated from the tree, which was returned to the site in 2010.

The village applied for and received one, and the Valley Stream Fire Department received two, donating one to the village and planting one in front of its Engine 3 firehouse on Cochran Place in memory of Peter Martin, a former resident and volunteer with the department and FDNY firefighter who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

The mayor’s secretary, Kathy Bogle, learned about the saplings from Philip Dickler, a village resident who works at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens, where the saplings were grown. The 9/11 Memorial organization required that the saplings go to designated memorials that are open to the public.

“We fit the criteria, and they let us know that we could have it, so it was great, and it turned out that the Fire Department also was looking into it, so we piggybacked with those guys and they went and picked it up for us,” Bogle said.

At the firehouse last Friday, Mayor Ed Fare and several department members banged stakes into the ground around the sapling, which was planted in a spot once occupied by a tree that came down during Hurricane Sandy.

Former chief Charlie Parker recalled Martin’s character. “He was a unique guy,” Parker said. “He was really gung-ho for the fire service, absolutely committed to it.” He added that its culture of camaraderie was what Martin loved.

Martin grew up in a house on Gibson Boulevard, a stone’s throw from the Cochran Place firehouse. He volunteered with the department until he moved to Bethpage. He was a member of FDNY Rescue 2 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and was 43 when he died. He left behind a wife and three sons.

At the village’s ceremony on Friday evening, Village Justice Robert Bogle was the master of ceremonies. He paid tribute to the victims who lost their lives in the attacks, as well as the multitude of suffering and loss that unfolded in their wake.

“There are more than 71,000 survivors and responders receiving medical monitoring or medical treatment for their Sept. 11 injuries,” he said. “Fifty-five thousand responders and survivors have one or more illnesses or injuries related to Sept. 11, and more than 3,700 responders and survivors have cancer related to the events of Sept. 11. Please keep these individuals in your thoughts, prayers and actions on this day of remembrance, as well as the 6,840 U.S. military personnel” — Bogle’s voice waivered — “who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Annie Fitzgerald, a senior at Central High School, sang the national anthem. The Rev. Steven Milazzo, of Bethlehem Assembly of God, delivered the invocation, Fare welcomed the audience and gave remarks, and VSFD Second Assistant Chief Jason Croak played “God Bless America” on bagpipes. The Rev. Gertrude Nation, of Grace United Methodist Church, delivered the benediction. Ron Feltington, of American Legion Post 854, played taps.

Several dignitaries were in attendance, including State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, State Sen. Dean Skelos and Hempstead Town Councilman Bruce Blakeman.

After the ceremony, attendees placed flowers on the monument.