25 Years After 9/11: Victims’ Names Read at Ground Zero

Shibbir Ahmed, New York: The United States is marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on Friday, with memorial ceremonies taking place across the country. In New York, victims’ relatives are gathering at the World Trade Center site to remember those who were killed in the attacks, while moments of silence mark key points in the timeline of that morning.

At the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan, family members are reading the names of their loved ones who died in the attacks. This year’s commemoration also includes a new moment of silence honoring people who were exposed to toxic dust and debris after the collapse of the World Trade Center and later died from related illnesses.

On September 11, 2001, al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York, one struck the Pentagon near Washington and the fourth crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members fought the hijackers. A total of 2,977 people were killed in the attacks.

The consequences of the attacks have continued long after that day. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, volunteers and others who worked at or around Ground Zero were exposed to toxic substances. More than 600 New York City firefighters have since died from illnesses related to their 9/11 exposure, according to figures cited by Reuters.

Memorial ceremonies are also being held at the Pentagon and at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville. President Donald Trump is attending the Pentagon observance, while Vice President JD Vance and all four living former presidents are attending the New York commemoration, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.

New York also held commemorative events ahead of Friday’s anniversary. On Wednesday night, a special drone installation titled “2,977 Lights Over New York Harbor” illuminated the sky above New York Harbor. The display featured 2,977 lights, representing each person killed in the 2001 attacks, before forming the outline of the Twin Towers at full architectural scale. Organizers said the project was developed in collaboration with 9/11 family members, survivors and first responders.

The city’s commemoration will continue Friday evening with the annual “Tribute in Light.” Two powerful beams of light will rise from Lower Manhattan, creating a symbolic representation of the Twin Towers and honoring those who died in the attacks. The 9/11 Memorial has scheduled the installation from Friday evening through early Saturday morning.

Twenty-five years later, the anniversary remains more than a remembrance of those who died on September 11, 2001. It also reflects the continuing grief of victims’ families, the sacrifices of first responders and the lasting health consequences faced by thousands of people who worked at Ground Zero.

For New York and the nation, the 25th anniversary is a moment to remember the lives lost, honor those who responded and preserve the history of a day that profoundly changed the United States.