Notre Dame’s football team has spent the week touring New York City, seeing the many sights the Big Apple has to offer. On Friday, the day before facing Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, the Irish got a sobering history lesson on the darkest day the city has ever witnessed.
The Irish toured the 9/11 Memorial in downtown Manhattan, a tribute to the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in the terror attacks in of Sept. 11, 2001. They saw the grounds, the Memorial’s twin reflecting pools that are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest man-made waterfalls in the North America, in addition to the rebuilt towers.
“You come to a place like this, you see who the true heroes really are,” senior wide receiver Danny Spond said. “Since the time we knew we were coming to New York, this trip here was one moment we were all looking forward to, looking forward to being a part of this.”
The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed on bronze panels edging the pools. Before departing, a few Notre Dame players placed a miniature American flag by the names of the four Notre Dame alums who perished on 9/11 — 1951 graduate Fr. Francis Grogan, 1962 alumnus Robert Ferris and 1977 graduates Dora Marie Menchaca and Lt. Col. Neil Hyland, Jr.
“We get to see a lot of New York throughout the week — to save this for last, before we go play, is pretty cool,” graduate senior defensive tackle Zach Martin said. “I know a lot of guys wanted to see this.”