Bracelet
Photo credit: Michael Hnatov
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
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
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.
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.
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.
HIDE
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.
HIDE
