When a symbol of American patriotism, USS The Sullivans, was in risk of going down, people across the nation rallied to save it.

Getting this job done though meant so much more than people might realize.

“The ship symbolizes the sacrifice of mostly the men that served on her, but certainly the men and women that are serving in our armed forces today,” said Paul Marzello, president and CEO of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park.

USS The Sullivans was risen from the depths.

“We're in a much better place since the incident, as we refer to it,” he noted.

Getting the ship above water was no small feat.

“So the water was right up to where I'm standing," Marzello said as he stood on the deck. "So picture this ship on almost a 45 degree angle.”

Marzello made sure the ship, a World War II destroyer named after five brothers killed together in the line of duty, wasn’t left behind.

“It was a horrific sight to see her on the April 14 morning," Marzello recalled. "I never felt a more compelling sense of community spirit than I did, starting on the 15th of April.”

Helping hands and uplifting words came from across the country and world.

“We gave a lot of credibility that the five Sullivan brothers were looking down on us and making sure that we were in good hands," Marzello said.

It didn’t take long for their crew to realize that this no ordinary salvaging job.

“We had a number of veterans who had served on her or had family members who served on her and they were very emotional, you could well imagine," Marzello recalled. "But we had a daily mantra -- failure was not an option.”

It was a weeks’ long, almost non-stop, process to raise the ship and there’s still work to be done.

“Certainly some damage here that we have to deal with," said Marzello gesturing to the walls of the inside of the ship.

It's perseverance that's not unfamiliar to this vessel.

It hit home for Marzello, whose grandfather served in the Navy.

“The ship is here to stay,” he said. “To stand on top of the…I'm getting kind of emotional about it…stand on top of the stern of the Sullivans, with our hands raised and finally saying, 'we did it,' was quite an accomplishment.”

It's an emblem of endurance that will inspire for years to come.

“I don't think of ourselves as heroes. I just think it was a job well done,” said Marzello.

The crew at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park still have a lot of work ahead of them. They're working to see what artifacts on the ship can be saved and what can't. As for the ship itself, the hope is that all the decks are back open to the public sometime next year.