U.S. carpenter helping rebuild Notre Dame 5 years after devastating fire [Video]

Paris — Five years have passed since Notre Dame cathedral in Paris was engulfed in flames. The iconic spire and timber roof were destroyed in the blaze. People around the world were shocked at the scale of the fire and the damage it caused, but work to restore the iconic landmark to its former glory continues.

Among those involved in the monumental project is an American carpenter who was given a rare chance to take part in this historic restoration project. In 2023, Hank Silver was running a small carpentry business in Massachusetts. Through a carpentry contact in France, he was asked if he wanted to join a team in Normandy preparing timber to rebuild the nave of Notre Dame.

“I could not say ‘no’ to that opportunity,” Silver told CBS News. “It’s an opportunity that happens — once in a lifetime wouldn’t even be the right term, it’s once in a millennium, really.”