Bracelet
- Description
- Metal memorial bracelet created in memory of Thomas A. Gardner. The bracelet is engraved: "FF Thomas A. Gardner | 9-11-01 FDNY Haz Mat 1 | We Always Miss Your Smiling Face and Warm Heart." A small American flag is printed to the left of the name and an atom symbol to the right.
- Historical Notes
- Born in Astoria, Queens, Thomas Gardner lived in Oceanside, Long Island, with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children. After joining the FDNY in 1982, he earned a college degree in biology and education and spoke of teaching high school science after retiring from firefighting. A member of Hazmat Company 1, Firefighter Gardner entered the South Tower with his unit on September 11. He was 39 years old.
Curator's Comment
Building on a tradition begun during the Vietnam War era to remember American prisoners of war and those missing in action, bracelets bearing the names of victims emerged after 9/11 as a way to honor those killed in the attacks. Some bracelets also bear personal inscriptions and images, including the American flag, the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and insignia reflecting a victim’s status as a first responder. Whether worn by relatives and friends of the victim or by empathetic strangers, 9/11 memorial bracelets created an intimate connection to individual victims while also communicating a shared sense of loss and compassion.
- Accession Number: C.2012.651.23
- Dimensions: 0.5 in X 2.75 in X 7.25 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 1.27 cm X 6.985 cm X 18.415 cm
- Source: Elizabeth Gardner
- Credit Line: Gift of the Gardner family in memory of Tom Gardner
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