Joel Meyerowitz - 9/11: the aftermath
From the website: I tried to get official clearance to access the site. I went to a museum director to petition the mayor to get a team of people to create an archive. But it wasn't to be. Then I remembered that the son of a friend was in charge of running the parks in Manhattan, which included part of the site. He got me a worker's badge and a ranger to take me in the next day. The ranger dropped me off and then I was on my own. At first, I kept getting thrown off. So I started counterfeiting badges. I dressed like a worker - a hard hat and boots and respirators; I did everything I could to blend in. Then one day, I bumped into some guys from the NYPD Arson and Explosion Squad. Instead of throwing me out, they asked me about my cameras. When I explained how I wanted to document the story of the excavation of Ground Zero, they said, "You're absolutely right. We need this for history, our children and grandchildren. We're going to take care of you." They became my guardian angels and protected me during their time on site.
