This emotional tribute to the victims of 9/11 featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales was shown on television only once — during Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002.

In the ad, the Clydesdales are driven across the Brooklyn Bridge, arriving in a snow covered Battery Park where they gaze over to the Statue of Liberty and bow in memorial. Many people have never forgotten the commercial.

In an interview with Anheuser-Busch’s creative team, former executive vice president Bob Lachky explained they had to  get approval from members of Congress, the advertising community and from New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani.

“We filmed in New York City,” said Bob Lachky, former executive vice president of Anheuser-Busch Global Creative. “We had a helicopter going over the Brooklyn Bridge. Mayor Giuliani let us into the city — the only film company of any sort right after 9-11. To actually come into air space with our helicopter to film the Clydesdale… the hitch coming into Battery Park and it was amazing…just amazing.”

It is still an amazing ad and still brings tears to my eyes.