Twenty-five years after one of the darkest days in American history, the United States is once again remembering the thousands of lives lost during the devastating September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
On that clear Tuesday morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in a coordinated attack that would forever change America and the world. Two planes were deliberately flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, while another struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.
By the end of the horrific attack, 2,977 innocent people had been killed, including hundreds of firefighters, police officers and other first responders who rushed toward danger as thousands desperately tried to escape. Thousands more were injured, while many survivors and responders later developed illnesses linked to exposure at Ground Zero.
Now, on September 11, 2026, America is marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks with ceremonies, moments of silence and tributes across the country.
At the National September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan, victims’ families are gathering for the annual commemoration ceremony, where relatives read aloud the names of those who died. Seven moments of silence are being observed to recognize the major moments of the attacks and honor those who later died from 9/11-related illnesses.
President Donald Trump proclaimed September 11, 2026, as Patriot Day and directed U.S. flags at federal facilities to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims.
As night falls over New York, the powerful Tribute in Light will once again send twin beams into the Manhattan skyline, symbolizing the towers that once stood there and the lives America has vowed never to forget.
A quarter-century has passed, but the pain, courage and sacrifice of September 11 remain deeply embedded in America’s history.
25 years later, the message remains unchanged: Never Forget.
