A small sapling, barely more than a twig, now stands in Asser-Levy Park surrounded by aged oaks and venerable maples. It will one day grow to be a leafy adult callery pear tree - but to many it’ll remain known as the Survivor Tree.

The 18th annual Morganton Elk’s Lodge Harley Raffle is being dedicated to a man who is not only last year’s winner, but an American hero who encouraged people to “never forget” the heroes of 9/11.

Ralph Geidel, who won a 2014 Harley-Davidson Super Glide Custom motorcycle at last year’s raffle banquet, moved to Connelly Springs in April of last year to be closer to his son and grandchildren. More.

FDNY Chief Joseph Pfeifer has honored lives lost on 9/11, including his own brother’s, by devoting his career since then to thwarting terrorists. “9/11 is part of history that is personal to every firefighter,” he said. “It’s about saving lives - no matter what occurs.”

Pfeifer was investigating a gas leak near Canal St. when the first hijacked jetliner roared overhead on that fateful morning. He watched it slam into the north tower. More.

As FDNY first responders come down with 9/11-related illnesses at an ever-quickening rate, one survivor battling stage-four cancer still calls it the best job in the world. And he’s thrilled his son is following in his footsteps.

“It was exciting from day one up to the last day I worked, every single minute,” retired firefighter Ray Pfeifer told the Daily News. “I was proud every day to put that uniform on.” More.

After nearly a decade long fight to stand by our first responders who answered the call of duty on September 11th, Congress finally fulfilled its moral obligation in late 2010 and provided our 9/11 heroes with the health care and financial compensation they deserved by passing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

We all remember where we were on 9/11. The planes that flew into the twin towers of the World Trade Center blew a hole in the heart of the world. That day it seemed as if optimism, decency, empathy, love, were confronted and defeated by violence, atrocity, agony and death.

For five years, I have been documenting the design and creation of the landscaping at the National September 11 Memorial plaza, the grove of swamp white oak trees planted in a green roof that shelters the 9/11 museum.

The fight against international terrorism is expected to get heavy treatment in two-time NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly’s memoir, titled “Vigilance.”

The book, from Hachette Books Group USA, is subtitled, “My Life Serving America and Protecting its Empire City” and comes out Sept. 8. More.