New York, NY // September 11, 2020

Never Forget. Many repeat these words each year at this time, but few practice it like the volunteers at Point Thank You who encourage drivers to blare their horns for charity. The cause: recognizing 9/11’s first responders.

One volunteer, Diane, told me she’s been coming to the intersection of Christopher and West Streets since the earliest days. “I was drawn to come down here,” she said. Having seen the destruction up close, Diane experienced a hopeless feeling. Cheering on the city’s police, fire, medical and utility workers allowed her to channel grief into gratitude. She also made friends along the way, from cops to CEOs — people she said she otherwise might have never met.

The size of the Point Thank You gathering has dwindled significantly since 2001. On Friday, the 19th anniversary of the terror attacks, there were just six people — down from the legions like Diane who showed up every day for the first 10 months — holding messages like “Thank You!” and “We Will Always Remember You” in one hand and American flags in the other.

But even today the efforts of a few volunteers has not gone unnoticed. At one point two uniformed officers walked over to the cement median with traffic roaring and occasionally honking by in both north and southbound lanes. One spoke. “Whenever we drive by, I always pray that we see you guys,” he said, “‘cause you’re the last ones left. So thank you. We appreciate it.”