By Victor Mota
On July 4th, Matthew Galcik, a Bronx resident who lives in the Country Club section of the borough, began a project he thought about many nights: to create a 12-foot replica of the Twin Towers on his front lawn. It cost him $2,000 to construct, but he says the results were priceless.
The 51-year-old Galcik says he mourns not only the many lives lost on Sept. 11, but the iconic Twin Towers who he says were like good friends. Galcik’s intention was to help heal old wounds, however, he did not know how his neighbors, and others who were suffering, would respond.
On the tenth anniversary of 911, Mr. Galick stood in front of his creation where the light of his Twin Towers illuminated more than the towers against the dark sky: it also illuminated memories from people who came near and far to see Galick’s tribute to the towers. As he stood in front of his replica, Galick explains why he took on the project:
“This is why it’s hard to give an interview,” he says. “People are so touched by it. I don’t have anything to say — it’s all the people (who) have something to say. That’s what I want to do…bring it out of them. I want them to open up just a little bit, and help them just a little bit. And if I did something like that, then it was a success.”
Galcik sums up his feelings: “To me they are just buildings. But when the people are here, then it’s more than a building — it’s something special.”
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