NYC Woman's Mission to Return Pet Mementos After Central Park's 'Forever Tree' is Removed

The Forever Tree Memorial

• 🌲 For decades, Central Park's "Forever Tree" served as a memorial for beloved pets who had "crossed the Rainbow Bridge."
• 🎁 Pet owners from around the world would leave keepsakes and mementos at the tree, creating a touching tribute.

Keeper of the Mementos

• 🏠 Maryanne Larson took on the role of caring for the tree and its items, cataloging over 3,300 mementos.
• 💡 She describes the items as "unusual treasures" and remembers many of the pets, finding joy in seeing "old friends."
• 📦 Each item was meticulously described, with some lacking names but having detailed descriptions like "yellow lab with red bow."

A New Mission

• 💔 Last winter, the Forever Tree began to die due to environmental stress and wear on the landscape, according to the Central Park Conservancy.
• 🌳 Crews were eventually forced to cut down the tree, leaving Maryanne with all the collected mementos.
• 🚀 Maryanne is now on a mission to return these sentimental items to their original owners.
• 📢 She hopes to connect with people during the regular season, using her lists to facilitate returns, and has shared information via ABC7NY.