Ground Zero Ceremony Remembers Those Lost 25 Years Ago on 9/11 – The Epoch Times

Americans reflect on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 (AP Photo)

Families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks gathered at the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center to read the names of those who died 25 years ago today at the annual ceremony to remember the 2977 people who died that day.

Family members of victims stood in pairs on a raised platform to read out victims’ names one by one, with them reading the name of their own relative at the end of their list. Many became emotional, addressing the dead relative with a message or adding in personal details and stories of the one they lost.

Vice President JD Vance, as well as former presidents and local politicians, joined the ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the attack, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush, Barack and Michelle Obama, Joe and Jill Biden, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Mayors Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, and Bill de Blasio also attended the events.

During the commemoration, Terry Strada, who lost husband Tom Strada on 9/11, called out Saudi Arabia for its role in his death.

“How can it be 25 years and still we have no justice for the role that Saudi Arabia played in your murder,” she said as the crowd erupted in loud cheers.

“For 25 years, administration after administration, including leaders in front of us today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families. Vice President Vance, please carry that message back. Stand with the families, stand with survivors, stand with Americans.”

The families of 9/11 victims have long pursued a JASTA court case against Saudi Arabia for its role in the attacks. JASTA, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, is a 2016 law that enabled victims of terrorism to sue foreign countries for sponsoring terrorism; however, such a trial has been elusive for the families of 9/11 victims.

Another family member also called for transparency in files related to 9/11. Nephew of victim Lisa Marie Terry said, “President Trump: you are our last hope, release the unredacted files that implicate Saudi Arabia while what’s left of the victims’ families are still alive to see it.”

Readers were of all ages, including people who were too young to recall 9/11, who knew of their loved ones only through stories of a beloved grandfather or uncle who died on that day.

Shared Humanity Amid the Tragedy

Also joining the commemoration events was one of the youngest first responders, John Paluska, who on Sept. 11, 2001, had just started his freshman year at Fordham University in the Bronx.

After watching the second tower fall from atop his college dormitory, Paluska took the subway to lower Manhattan to Ground Zero, where he helped recover the remains of several victims that day.

Paluska says he didn’t talk about his experience that day for 17 years; he felt it wasn’t his story.

“I returned to campus and I saw continued grief and everyone knew someone, and they were going to funerals constantly,” said Paluska. He said he just tried to be supportive and kind.

Paluska hopes the world can hold on to the sense of shared humanity that emerged on Sept. 12, in the aftermath of the tragedy.

“I really hope that not only Americans but the world can come together. We need kindness for peace. We need more kindness to move forward and to remember tragedies like this,” said Paluska.

He said he hopes that in the future, for generations to come, 9/11 will be in “the history books as changing the way people move forward and are kinder to one another.”

Paluska hopes to help bring about that change, which is why he co-founded the 9-11 Visionary Network, which brings together adults 21 to 45 for advocacy, commemoration, and service to deepen their connection to 9/11 and its aftermath.

“It is just something simple as an act of kindness every day. Those small steps I hope will keep the honor to remember the victims and ensure that tragedy doesn’t happen again,” said Paluska.

NTD’s Nikou Bani contributed to this report.