NEW YORK — Across the United States, Americans paused Thursday to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001, with solemn ceremonies, moments of silence, and acts of service 24 years after the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil.
At Ground Zero, families of victims gathered as names were read aloud in a poignant tribute beneath the memorial’s twin reflecting pools. Bells tolled at the exact moments when the planes struck and the towers fell, as mourners placed flowers in the engraved names of loved ones.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the ceremony at the Pentagon, honoring the 184 people killed there before traveling to New York for a Yankees game later in the day. In Pennsylvania, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins joined a wreath-laying service in Shanksville, where passengers of Flight 93 heroically fought back, preventing another catastrophic strike.
For many families, the grief remains raw. “Even 24 years later, it’s heart-wrenching,” said Jennifer Nilsen, who lost her husband at the World Trade Center. Others, like James Lynch of New Jersey, chose to mark the day through acts of service, volunteering to prepare meals for those in need.
The anniversary comes amid heightened political tensions and security measures, following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk just a day earlier.
The attacks not only claimed thousands of lives but reshaped U.S. foreign and domestic policy, launching decades-long wars and leading to ongoing legal proceedings against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the plot, who has yet to stand trial.