One of the first September 11th memorials was erected in Brooklyn, and after some wear and tear, it remains a site for tribute and reflection 15 years after the attacks. NY1's Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.

James Thompson shows his 7-year-old son a childhood friend and hero, Firefighter Michael Cammarata. At 22 years old, he was the youngest member of the FDNY killed on September 11, 2001.

"It's nice that every time I come down to see a Cyclones game that I get to take my son and show him my friend," Thompson said. "Every time we park, it's, 'Daddy, where's your friend?'"

Cammarata is one of 416 emergency responders who died on 9/11 whose memory is permanently preserved on the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance. Located outside MCU Park in Coney Island, many come here to pay tribute. Some leave flowers and memorial cards. Some pray. And some polish the stone. 

"Everybody who lives in New York City knows somebody who was directly involved or was lost that day, so I try to soften the blow a little bit for everybody who comes by," said visitor Dennis O'Sullivan.

The memorial started with one wall dedicated the year after the attacks to honor the 137 first responders from Brooklyn, but it then expanded to include all boroughs and heroes.

"Besides the firefighters, I wanted to include everyone that was a first responder, so we ended up with 37 Port Authority, 23 police officers, FBI, Secret Service," said Sol Moglen, founder of the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance. "We even honored a dog, Sirius. So we were the only ones to honor a dog. So that was very, very special." 

The $500,000 project, done entirely with donations, includes bronze sculptures and engraved granite.  

"What I like about the wall is, not only does it have their picture, but it says their company, their rank, whether they're a detective, a captain, or a lieutenant, and the company that they're from," said Retired FDNY Battalion Chief John Plant.

While the granite has held up well over the years, the air and moisture here in Coney Island has tarnished the bronze. Now, a new fundraising effort is underway to restore the bronze and maintain the wall's brilliance for another 15 years. 

"I wanted the families to say, 'You know what, let's go to the wall and celebrate.' And that's what we made for them, a celebration," Moglen said.