Lady Liberty to reopen after a year

By Leigh Remizowski, CNN

updated 1:10 PM EDT, Thu October 25, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

New York (CNN) -- The Statue of Liberty is set to reopen Sunday after a year of renovations intended to make the iconic 19th-century gift from France easier to navigate and more accessible to visitors with disabilities.

The interior of the copper colossus has been closed to visitors since October 2011.

On Sunday, the monument's 126th birthday, visitors using wheelchairs will for the first time be able to visit one of the observation decks, located near the feet of Lady Liberty.

"You see this stuff on TV ... but to actually be here, it takes on a whole brand new dimension," said Larry Hughes, a Vietnam War veteran and the first wheelchair user to ride the newly installed elevator to the deck.

As he looked out onto the Manhattan skyline, Hughes told Zoraida Sambolin on CNN's "Early Start" that he felt blessed to be inside the statue instead of looking at it from afar. CNN joined Hughes and other veterans for an exclusive first look at the renovations Wednesday.

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

Go here to read the rest:
Lady Liberty to reopen after a year