Save the Sphere (Koenig's Sphere, WTC)

10/11/2026

Happen to come upon this saved facebook post the other day and thought I'd share it: On 9/11, my brother, Billy Burke, Captain of Eng. Co. 21, ran into FF Richard Billy of E-24 in a stairwell in 1 WTC, the north tower. They had worked together at E-24, where Burke started with the FDNY in '82. FF Billy was staying with co-workers Ed Beyea and Abe Zelmanowitz. Ed was a quadriplegic trapped in his mechanized wheelchair in a tower with no working elevators. Capt. Burke took over for Ed and Abe and E-24 evacuated. All the men of E-24, with the civilian they carried down, escaped as the tower came down behind them. Ed, Abe and Capt. Billy Burke, Jr., perished when 1 WTC collapsed.

Ten years later Richard Billy donates bone marrow to save his brother's Father Dennis Billy, life.

"This is who I am," were Billy's last known words, from inside the north tower, "this is what I do."

10/07/2026

The Koenig Sphere stands in the lower left, overlooking the memorial from the south. It stood in between the Twin Towers, just on the other of the museum, the slanted white building. Bashed and torn, it miraculously survived the attacks. However, since it is a direct and immediate reminder of the attacks, it was deemed inappropriate for the National September 11 Memorial at the WTC. Which was designed and specifically chosen because it does not recognize September 11. Or include any remnants of the WTC. Exiled to Liberty Park, overlooking the memorial to the south, the Sphere is the only authentic artifact of 9/11 outdoors and available for free viewing. Connect with history. On the site. See the Sphere. Liberty Park, NYC.

10/06/2026

10/04/2026

This is happening across the country. Young people born after the attacks are being taught that real, great lasting sin of 9/11 is American bigotry.

Fairfax County Public Schools sanitizes 9/11 history by hiding Islamic extremism and perpetrator motives from its curriculum.

09/27/2026

On Sept. 11, before the second plane hit, Capt. William F. (Billy) Burke, Jr., Eng. Co.21, telephoned family and friends in NYC and alerted them, "We are under terrorist attack!" Then he hopped on his rig and led his men to Box 8087, the WTC.

09/23/2026

The Koenig Sphere is the only historical artifact of 9/11 on the site at Ground Zero. Outdoors and available for free viewing. No visit is complete without seeing it

08/24/2025

https://nypost.com/2025/08/23/us-news/exec-salaries-skyrocket-while-cash-strapped-9-11-museum-continues-to-bleed-red-slap-in-the-face/

Here’s an idea for the perpetual in the red memorial and museum foundation: return the iconic Koenig Sphere to the site and sell little bronze spheres in the gift shop. In fact, make it your brand icon and sell t-shirts and caps with it. Just think that maybe a symbol of strength and resilience would work better than two immense, ever draining nihilistic “voids.”

08/24/2025

Not sure that managing at the Nat’l September 11 Museum and Memorial should put you in the top 2% of American income. Some of these salaries are more than the combined salaries of many of the fire companies that were wiped out in response, 9/11.

07/28/2025

It was recently revealed that the Port Authority will install lights in Liberty Park so the iconic sculpture the Koenig Sphere, the sole artifact of the WTC to survive the attacks intact, can be lit at night. However, the question is: why is the Sphere in Liberty Park in the first place? Why isn't it on the memorial plaza? Why wasn't it returned to where it stood for nearly 30 years, to where miraculously survived the attacks in place? To where it was embraced by Ground Zero workers as a reverent symbol of strength and resilience? So that it might stand at the memorial as an authentic reminder of the attacks? The answer, as they say, will surprise you.

04/28/2023

Please see!

Each year since 2015, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has held the Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb NYC at One World Observatory at One World Trade Center in New York City. One thousand participants climb 104 stories, symbolizing strength, hope and the resiliency of the American spirit. The event celebr...