The County Executive and the Board decided that family members of those who died would make the final determination of where the memorial should be located and what feelings it should convey. Families selected Kensico Dam Plaza as the site because of its central location. They wanted the memorial to be a welcoming destination for individual remembrance and reflection that would leave the visitor with a feeling of hope for

the future. Thirty-seven artists and architects from around the country answered the county's request for memorial design. A selection committee was formed, comprised of several family members, county staff and professionals in the field of public art. The families unanimously selected "The Rising," an 80-foot sculpture of 111 intertwining stainless steel strands rising together and reaching skyward. (read more)