25 Years Later: Remembering September 11

By Felicia Farnsworth

Twenty-five years have passed since a day forever etched into the history of the United States — Sept. 11, 2001.

On that Tuesday morning, America was changed forever when terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes and carried out coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed, including office workers, airline passengers, firefighters, police officers, emergency responders, and ordinary citizens who found themselves caught in an extraordinary moment of tragedy.

This year, on Sept. 11, 2026, the nation marks the 25th anniversary of those attacks.

For many Americans, the memories of that day remain vivid. People remember where they were when they first heard the news, watching television as the events unfolded and trying to understand how something so devastating could happen on American soil.

But 25 years later, there is also a generation of Americans who were not yet born when the attacks occurred. According to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, approximately 100 million Americans are now too young to remember 9/11 firsthand. That makes remembrance and education especially important.

The anniversary is not only about remembering the lives lost. It is also about honoring the courage of those who responded. Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, military members, and ordinary citizens demonstrated extraordinary bravery and compassion in the hours and days that followed.

The 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93 are also remembered for their courage. Their actions prevented the hijacked plane from reaching its intended target after passengers and crew members fought back against the hijackers. The National Park Service will mark the 25th anniversary with special observances honoring those 40 individuals.

The effects of Sept. 11 did not end when the smoke cleared. The attacks changed airport security, national security policies, and the lives of countless families. First responders and others who worked at Ground Zero were exposed to toxic dust and debris, and many have continued to experience serious health consequences years later.

Twenty-five years later, America continues to remember.

On this anniversary, we remember the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends, and coworkers whose lives were taken. We remember the first responders who ran toward danger while others were running away. We remember the survivors and the families who have carried their loss for a quarter of a century.

And perhaps most importantly, we remember so future generations can understand.

Sept. 11, 2001, is history — but it is history that still lives in the hearts and memories of millions.

Twenty-five years later, we remember. We honor! And we will never forget!