Ground Zero ceremony honors 25 years since 9/11 attacks in Manhattan

NEW YORK - Thousands returned to Lower Manhattan on Friday, Sept. 11 for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The ceremony near Ground Zero remembered the lives lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where nearly 3,000 people were killed.

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On the 25th anniversary, emotions ran deep as people gathered to remember those killed in the attacks. "Never forget, never forget what happened that day," one attendee said during the ceremony. 

Bill McVey, a witness who said he watched the first building fall, has not missed a ceremony since the attacks, saying, "I’m here every year, yeah...you can learn to live with it, but you can’t put it away."

Elena and James DiGiacamo came to honor their uncle, a fallen FDNY member. "It’s very sad also at the same time to be with everybody and have the recognition and to be here for my mom and other people helps a lot," said James DiGiacamo. Elena DiGiacamo, who recently graduated from Saint Joe's, said, "It’s so nice to be back especially for the 25th anniversary. It’s so amazing to be here and to be surrounded by my family and commemorate my uncle."

The anniversary is not only a time of grief, but also unity. James DiGiacamo said, "So one word I would use as unity for everybody in the ceremony for the last 25 years. None of us will ever forget you really can’t forget."

There was some political protest near Ground Zero, though most in attendance chose not to engage, focusing instead on honoring victims and uniting on a day marked by terror and loss.

Moments of remembrance and protest on a landmark anniversary

The day’s ceremony began in the morning as crowds arrived at the World Trade Center site. People paused for moments of silence and listened as Bruce Springsteen’s "See You in My Dreams" played.

Relatives of victims, first responders and survivors gathered throughout the day. Some, like the DiGiacamo family, returned for the first time in several years to honor loved ones.

Many participants spoke of healing, togetherness and loss. 

McVey said attending every year has helped, but memories never fade. "You can learn to live with it, but you can’t put it away," said McVey. For Elena DiGiacamo, being surrounded by family was meaningful: "It’s so amazing to be here and to be surrounded by my family and commemorate my uncle," she said.