Rising: An Open Note of Thanks from the GM of Science

09/09/2011

I want to thank each and every one of you who touched Rising. You have given me new role models of courage and dedication.

Working on this series changed me. I am really lucky. I absolutely love what I do. As General Manager of Science, I lead a wonderfully talented creative team who push to find stories and ideas that make science, engineering and innovation more thought provoking, relatable and inspiring. Rising, Rebuilding Ground Zero turned out to be the mother lode of all these things. I will never forget the amazing  people we met on this journey, both in front of and behind the camera. The Rebuilders.

The architects and workers who are literally rebuilding with their incredible passion and remarkable physical skills to transforming lower Manhattan.

The family members who are rebuilding their lives after their terrible loss on 911 and channel their grief into helping others.

The residents and businesses of lower Manhattan who believed and rebuilt their lives and their community.

The first responders, fire fighters, port authority and police. Thank you for doing what you do and sharing your stories. You inspire us all.

Thank you to the producing team, composers, photographers, sound engineers, editors, assistants, marketers, who worked round the clock. Your dedication shines though. This wasn't easy and I am in awe of the care and devotion you gave to this project.

And to you, our Science and Discovery audience, thank you for embracing these stories and donating to help the families and first responders. We will be staying with this project until all of the buildings are complete and will bring you annual specials documenting the progress. Please continue to give us feedback, as it helps to guide us.

In the beginning we were warned by many people this project couldn't be done. You can't mix engineering with emotional stories. You'll never get access to the site. Deadlines have been missed for years. Or, my favorite: There is nothing going on there. A final thank you to our spirited partners who helped us pull this off. You believed and it mattered. I will never be the same, and I thank you all.

Debbie Myers
General Manager
Science

P.S. Lee Ielpi, you are my hero.

Comments

[Tannai]

The Science Channel's promo for the 9/11 tribute show ends with this: "I just look forward to when angels come to collect those souls."

This is the SCIENCE Channel. Does anyone else see the irony in this?

[Ariane Mariano]

I awoke on Sept 11, 2011. I expected like everyone, to see countless documentaries and coverage about the loss we all experienced that day 10 years ago. I never expected to watch such unbelievable acts of bravery, honor, love and support for loved ones and this country. Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero is one of the most moving and beautiful stories I have seen in my life. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it. I thank each and every one of you. May God Bless you all.

[Tish O'Connor, Ph.D. (Qualitative Researcher)]

Chevrolet has given us all a huge gift of commercial-free, multi-episode, documentary series profiling all different facets of 9/11, then and now. "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero" a stunning body of faithful work. (running all night long)
Thank you Chevy!
On The Science Channel/Comcast Channel 110.

[Keith Langdon Kalamazoo, Mi]

Thank you to everyone involved in The Rising project. You should be proud of your work.

We have not forgotten the horror of 9/11 and lives that were lost in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

We are given hope by those who have worked so hard to rebuild from the ashes. Your sense of purpose and determination is inspiring. May God bless you and may God continue to bless America.

[Chad Pippin]

I sat with my whole family and watched as a dedicated group of Americans worked for a common goal and lifted a city and country like a phoenix from the ashes. Rising gave me and my family a chance to honor and grieve, Thank You

[Chad Pippin]

I sat with my whole family and watched as a dedicated group of Americans worked for a common goal and lifted a city and country like a phoenix from the ashes. Rising gave me and my family a chance to honor and grieve, Thank You

[Al]

The documentary was very well done. Was wondering, no mention of Guiliane in the footage.

[Al]

The documentary was very well done. Was wondering, no mention of Guiliane in the footage.

[Bob Marsh]

What an amazing and well-done documentary. After watching so many other shows recently about 9/11, I could have never imagined a program that kept my attention as much as this one did. The stories about the sacrifice and loss that started on 9/11, and continue even until this day, is moving, and uplifting. To those that worked to bring us Rising, Rebuilding Ground Zero, as well as those that shared there stories with us, thank you, and God bless you.