Friday marks 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, which claimed 2,977 lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. An estimated 9,000 additional individuals have died from 9/11-related illnesses over the past quarter-century. Victims’ families, first responders, and political figures are assembling for annual remembrance ceremonies in downtown Manhattan, the Pentagon, and Shanksville. ABC News is broadcasting a one-hour multiplatform live special titled ‘9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan’ on Friday at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The New York City Fire Department lost 343 members during the attacks, with another 453 dying from related illnesses over the last 25 years. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore noted that the department continues to relive the tragedy. Meanwhile, the NYPD lost 23 members at the World Trade Center and another 469 to 9/11-related illnesses subsequently. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch emphasized the importance of passing the legacies and stories of those responders down to newer generations. President Donald Trust will attend the ceremony at the Pentagon rather than Ground Zero, while Vice President JD Vance will be present at Ground Zero. Administration officials are scheduled to attend all three major observance sites. Memorial reflections also highlighted the sacrifices of search-and-rescue dogs like Atlas, who worked alongside NYPD officer Robert Schnelle at Ground Zero, and the memories of students who were with then-President George W. Bush in a Florida classroom when he was first informed of the attacks.
Source: abcnews.com
