9/11 Memorial Adds 7th Silence for 25th Anniversary as Illness Deaths Top 3,000
Updated
Updated · PBS NewsHour · Sep 10
9/11 Memorial Adds 7th Silence for 25th Anniversary as Illness Deaths Top 3,000
3 articles · Updated · PBS NewsHour · Sep 10
Summary
A seventh moment of silence will be added Friday at Ground Zero to honor lower Manhattan residents who later died from 9/11-linked illnesses or injuries.
That new tribute reflects a toll that now exceeds the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
The Manhattan ceremony begins streaming at 8:40 a.m. EDT, with the first silence at 8:46 a.m. and the traditional reading of names before the added observance.
Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton plan to attend the nonpartisan Ground Zero event, while Donald Trump is expected to speak instead at the Pentagon memorial.
The expanded program underscores how the 25th anniversary is widening remembrance beyond the day itself to the attacks' long aftereffects.
With a new seventh moment of silence added, how is the true death toll of 9/11 still silently climbing a quarter-century later?
Lower Manhattan's population has doubled since the attacks, but what hidden costs did the city pay to transform Ground Zero into a thriving neighborhood?
As newly released records expose the truth about toxic dust, what does this mean for the thousands still fighting 9/11-related illnesses today?
25 Years After 9/11: Commemoration, Health Crisis, and the Evolving Legacy of Service in New York City
Overview
Marking 25 years since the September 11 attacks, New York City’s commemoration in 2026 highlighted both remembrance and the ongoing impact of 9/11-related illnesses. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum introduced a seventh moment of silence to honor thousands who died from toxic exposure at Ground Zero, reflecting the growing health crisis among first responders and survivors. Administrative challenges, including staffing cuts in the World Trade Center Health Program, led to delays in care. Meanwhile, legal action by advocacy groups prompted the city to release records revealing officials’ early knowledge of air toxicity, driving new transparency and support initiatives for affected communities.