It's a labor of love in honor of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the World Trade Center attacks. The caretakers of the 9/11 Memorial work 24-7, year-round to keep the hallowed ground a special place for reflection.

Tony LoCasto, of Floral Park, is the chief engineer in charge of caring for the sacred ground where 2,983 people were killed in the World Trade Center attacks.

"When family members come, they need a place that they can call their own. My goal every day is to give them the best place possible," says LoCasto.

From nightfall to sunrise, LoCasto and his crew give the memorial a top to bottom cleaning - beginning with the twin reflecting pools.

With great care, workers wipe off water, fingerprints and debris from the 152 bronze panels bearing the victims' names.
The sprawling eight-acre plaza is meticulously manicured and polished with clippers and sweepers.

This year, the caretakers are taking extra steps to protect visitors from COVID-19.

Vincent Lupi uses a fogging machine to disinfect high touch points.

The caretakers' dedication flows from their belief that what they're doing is much more than a job - it's a labor of love.

For the families of the fallen, all of the work that goes into keeping the memorial looking beautiful adds up to a measure of peace and comfort.

Lisa Friedman Clark, of Jericho, lost her husband and father of their twin sons on 9/11.
Andrew Friedman worked as an institutional sales trader at Carr Futures on the 92nd floor of Tower One.

"My hat's off to everybody that works here. This is my husband's final resting place and so many of his friends. And so it warms my heart to know that this place is kept so beautifully," says Clark.

A mission accomplished by the caretakers of a place that never forgets.

The caretakers also tend to the maintenance of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which is scheduled to reopen to the public on Saturday.