As the dust began to settle on lower Manhattan, and rescue and recovery workers made their way through the rubble, they came upon a tree. Although this tree had snapped roots and burned branches, it was alive — it had survived. This one tree, survived the World Trade Center attacks. Barely alive, it endured following years of off-site intensive care and rehabilitation by The New York Parks Department. More.

Fire Department paramedics and EMTs who responded to the 9/11 attacks and now suffer from medical illnesses say the city is forgetting about them. The medical first responders, who are employed by the FDNY, breathed the same toxic air at Ground Zero as firefighters and many have been diagnosed with the same respiratory diseases and cancers. More.

There’s almost no way to shield kids from the barrage of news about hurricanes and earthquakes or the latest mass shooting in Las Vegas, says a pediatric psychologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, so it’s crucial to talk them through the bad news. A main way to do that - and to convince kids they’re safe - is for adults to take care of themselves and deal with their own anxieties. More.

Former FDNY commissioner Thomas Von Essen, who presided over New York’s Bravest during 9/11, has been named head of the FEMA region that serves Puerto Rico - making him the new leader of the hurricane recovery efforts. “There’s a lot of work to do,” Von Essen told The Post. “I’m excited to go down there to continue the work that they’ve done, that they’ve started.” More.

Each year, as the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks approaches, the country is reminded of the unprecedented losses suffered. At the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”), we acknowledge the important milestones reached in providing support to victims and families, but we are especially aware of the lives that continue to be impacted. More.

Sixteen years after the Sept. 11 attacks, new names are still being added to the memorial at 9/11 Responders Remembered Park in Nesconset, as the men and women who were at Ground Zero that fateful day and in the days afterward continue to die from 9/11-related illnesses. More.

When James Giaccone of Bayville wants to feel close to his older brother, he goes to bronze panel N-36 on the rim of the 9/11 Memorial north reflecting pool, on the footprint of the original World Trade Center’s north tower. There, he touches the engraved name of Joseph M. Giaccone, one of 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees - and nearly 3,000 workers, first responders, and plane passengers. More.