The place where the World Trade Centers once stood.

The place where so many lives were lost.

The place where history changed.

I expected the visit to be informational, instead it was filled with tears and life changing.

"May We Never Forget," are the words on the memorial to the firefighters who were lost in New York and they resonate as you visit the tribute center and join others on the walking tour of remembrance.

Of course 9/11 happened in 2001 and now it's 2007. While so much work has been done, there is so much work to do in New York.

A total of eight buildings came down as a result of the tragedy. Another building is being taken down nearby floor by floor. One of the buildings not to be destroyed is a church which sits nearby the site, attracting many visitors.
]
The old gravestones that surround the church are surprisingly unscathed from the catastrophe.

It's one of those sites you feel compelled to visit.

The tour guides on the walking tour all have a personal story or connection to the World Trade Centers. One of our tour guides had worked in the World Trade Center while another was a police officer who responded to the scene after the fall of the first tower.

Every life had a story in those buildings.

American Express has already created a memorial at the World Financial Center to the 11 employees who lost their lives on the 94th floor of the World Trade Center, across the street.

The memorial is titled "The Eleven Tears for the Eleven Lives Lost." Each family wrote 11 words to describe their loved one as eleven drops of water fall from the ceiling into the pool of water, dropping every eleven seconds at different intervals.

It's overwhelming as you circle the memorial in person. And, yes, it's tragic and senseless. To think because you got to work on time that day, this was the result.

The tour guides stress it could have been worse as many factors came into play with parents getting children off to school, a football game that kept people out late the night before and other delays in getting to work. But, each life lost is remembered.

Tourists shed tears as they shake the hands of the tour guides and say, "Thank you. Thank you for making a difference."

It is overwhelming to look across the street and see the huge empty space that remains. It is overwhelming to remember that day on Sept. 11, 2001. Everyone shares their story remembering where they were when they got the news.

Walking through the Tribute Center you hear personal stories, see the faces, reminders of the innocence we lost.

Flags fly everywhere in Manhattan, especially at fire stations. In fact, when you walk through Manhattan, people line up to have their pictures taken with both firefighters and police. Everyone knows why. This country is proud of those who serve and those who responded.

While we enjoyed Manhattan and it has filled up with tourists again, we made time to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral to light candles in honor of those we've lost all on Sept. 11th and all over the world.

The words on the memorial ring true: May We Never Forget.

For more information on the Tribute Center in NYC link to: