New York leaders and families gathered Thursday for a solemn 9/11 remembrance marking the 24th anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil. Nearly 3,000 Americans were killed when al-Qaeda hijackers turned commercial jets into weapons of war on September 11, 2001.
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, known as “America’s Mayor” for his leadership in the aftermath, appeared in a body brace following a recent car accident but stood with his son to honor the fallen. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo also joined survivors, firefighters, and victims’ families at Ground Zero.
“It’s amazing how the grief comes to life every year. It bubbles up to the surface every September,” reflected former FDNY Commissioner Tom Von Essen, who oversaw the department on 9/11. He reminded the nation of the sacrifice of 343 firefighters: “They put out to save total strangers. It shows what remarkable men they were.”
The ceremony included six moments of silence, marking when the Twin Towers were struck and collapsed, the attack on the Pentagon, and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
In the years since, the toll has only grown. More than 400 FDNY members have died from 9/11-related illnesses, while nearly 50,000 first responders and survivors battle cancers linked to Ground Zero exposure.
Von Essen’s words captured the enduring weight of the day: “Sept. 11 was the worst.” Yet, in remembering the fallen, America renews its commitment to never forget and to remain vigilant against the threats that seek to divide and destroy.
