“Grief that never fades”: America honors 9/11 victims 24 years on
September 11, 2025, marks 24 years since the deadliest terror attack on US soil , when al-Qaida hijackers killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Across the nation, Americans are pausing to remember, grieve, and serve in honor of those lost.
At the World Trade Center site in Manhattan, families and loved ones will gather to read aloud the names of the victims, joined by Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance. Silence will be observed at the exact moments when the Twin Towers were struck and later collapsed, a ritual that continues to carry deep weight for survivors and families.
In New Jersey, James Lynch, who lost his father in the attacks, spoke of grief and resilience as he and his family prepared meals for the needy at a Manhattan charity event. “Grief never really goes away,” Lynch said, adding that finding joy in remembrance has helped him heal.
At the Pentagon, where 184 people were killed, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will attend a service before heading to New York for a baseball game. The anniversary comes amid heightened political tensions, just a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead in Utah. Officials have ordered tighter security around ceremonies, particularly at Ground Zero.
Beyond official events, ordinary Americans are marking the day with acts of service —food and clothing drives, blood donations, and community cleanups—reflecting the enduring spirit of unity that emerged in the aftermath of tragedy.
The legacy of 9/11 stretches far beyond grief: it reshaped US domestic and foreign policy, led to the “Global War on Terror,” and triggered conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet, decades later, justice remains incomplete. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind arrested in 2003, still awaits trial at Guantánamo Bay.
September 11, 2025, marks 24 years since the deadliest terror attack on US soil , when al-Qaida hijackers killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Across the nation, Americans are pausing to remember, grieve, and serve in honor of those lost.
At the World Trade Center site in Manhattan, families and loved ones will gather to read aloud the names of the victims, joined by Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance. Silence will be observed at the exact moments when the Twin Towers were struck and later collapsed, a ritual that continues to carry deep weight for survivors and families.
In New Jersey, James Lynch, who lost his father in the attacks, spoke of grief and resilience as he and his family prepared meals for the needy at a Manhattan charity event. “Grief never really goes away,” Lynch said, adding that finding joy in remembrance has helped him heal.
At the Pentagon, where 184 people were killed, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will attend a service before heading to New York for a baseball game. The anniversary comes amid heightened political tensions, just a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead in Utah. Officials have ordered tighter security around ceremonies, particularly at Ground Zero.
Beyond official events, ordinary Americans are marking the day with acts of service —food and clothing drives, blood donations, and community cleanups—reflecting the enduring spirit of unity that emerged in the aftermath of tragedy.
The legacy of 9/11 stretches far beyond grief: it reshaped US domestic and foreign policy, led to the “Global War on Terror,” and triggered conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet, decades later, justice remains incomplete. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind arrested in 2003, still awaits trial at Guantánamo Bay.