In the dark, uncertain days following September 11, New York City needed a moment of collective healing and it was Liza Minnelli who delivered it.
In a new Instagram post shared as Americans reflect on the anniversary of the event, Minnelli looked back on that emotional afternoon. She recalled the deep, personal bond that forever ties her to the city.
Liza Minnelli Recalled the ‘Spirit of NYC’
Liza Minnelli shared details of the morning of September 11, 2001 in an Instagram post. She wrote that like millions of other New Yorkers, she was in her apartment when she learned the country was under attack.
“I was in my apartment in New York on the morning of 9/11. A friend phoned and told me to turn on the television immediately. I was in denial and thought I was watching a film, The Towering Inferno. I kept changing channels until I realized every station was showing the same nightmare. And then, I watched the second plane strike and realized we were under attack and so vulnerable,” she shared.
However, one thing that kept the entertainer going was the “extraordinary mixture of people who went downtown to help. The only race we were on 9/11 was human. I thought, ‘What can I do?’ We can’t let anyone destroy the spirit of New York.”
Minnelli added, “Days later I joined the governor, my dear friend Michelle Lee, Robert De Niro, Glenn Close and other show folk, to start a campaign encouraging travelers to return to New York. It was all about witness, response, restoration and love.”
“So, when I sang New York, New York at Shea [Stadium], that song, my heart belonged to everyone who loves New York. I always have and I always will,” the entertainer concluded.
Fans Shared Their Thanks For The Entertainer’s Contributions to the City
GettyIn the comments section of Liza Minnelli’s Instagram post, fans shared their thanks for her ongoing contributions as a goodwill ambassador to New York City. On September 11, they believed this post was a bright moment in an otherwise sad day of rememberence.
“They should play that over a loud speaker every morning in New York. No one sings it like you do,” wrote one follower.
“I remember this. Thank you for bringing the love and light when the city was on its knees. This was perfect,” recalled a second Instagram user.
A third fan noted, “Never was a song so needed by an entire city.”
“Oh, Liza, Yes! New York belongs to Everyone!! Thank you for bringing much needed love and light into our hearts during that devastating time,” wrote a fourth social media follower.
In true show business fashion, Liza Minnelli reminded everyone that the show must go on. By turning a solemn afternoon into a moment of pure, unified joy, she captured the unbeatable heart of the Big Apple, standing as a brilliant reminder of the unity in the face adversity that united the city and the world.
