Artist: Cherie Saleeby

Location: Founders Park, 306 NE 3rd St, Pompano Beach, FL 33060

The City of Pompano Beach’s Fire Department acquired a piece of steel from the World Trade Center for use in a memorial for the 343 first responders that died saving lives on September 11, 2001. The City commissioned artist Cherie Saleeby to integrate the piece of steel into an artistic memorial.

The memorial is installed at Founders Park which is home to the Pompano Beach Historical Society, the caretakers of our history. When designing the sculpture, Saleeby took into account the scale of the surroundings and adjacent buildings. She stated she wanted the sculpture to complement and not overwhelm the area. The viewer can touch the exposed steel, which represents the backbone of the responders and their resolute courage. The piece suggests the spine of a hardcover book, helping to keep the pages together. The memorial also contains the names of all 343 first responders who heroically died saving so many.

Cherie Saleeby has a long career in sculpture, beginning in Italy, carving marble. The journey has lead to larger scale projects in Art in Public Places and installations. She enticed by non-conventional materials.

Saleeby was awarded the Duane Hanson Allied Artist Award , to assist with an Art in Public Places Commission for artist team of Harries & Heder , working on a park in Miramar, Florida. Her responsibilities were to oversee the construction of a stone amphitheater along with other artistic features. Two of her original seating sculptures in massive coral rock, can be seen in the park.

Saleeby lives with her family in South Florida and continues to work in her studio in Sanibel, Florida and as an Artist in Residence at Arts Warehouse, Delray Beach, Florida. For more information on the artist,, please visit https://cheriesaleeby.com/