Families gather at WTC to honor 9/11 victims, 24 years later

LOWER MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – Twenty-four years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, families of the victims gathered Thursday to honor their loved ones in a private ceremony in Lower Manhattan. 

The commemoration ceremony began at 8:30 a.m. at Memorial Plaza. You can watch the ceremony live on the PIX11 Morning News, PIX11.com, or PIX11+.

The first of six moments of silence was observed at 8:46 a.m. to commemorate the moment American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into floors 93 through 99 of the North Tower.

In the crowd, loved ones held up photos of their late family members. Shortly after, family members of the victims began reading aloud the names of those killed in the attacks.

“Each name we say is a reminder of someone deeply loved,” said a relative of John James Tipping II, a firefighter who died in the attacks.

At 9:03 a.m., a second moment of silence marked the moment United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into floors 77 through 85 of the South Tower, followed by silence at 9:37 a.m., when another flight crashed into the Pentagon.

Many families spoke directly to the late victims, reiterating their love and introducing new members of the family. A young boy honored his late grandfather, Edward Joseph Papa, whom he never met.

“Our family says that I have a lot of your traits. They say I’m kind and generous like you,” he said. “Even though I never knew you, I still feel your presence in my daily life.”

The ceremony paused for two more moments of silence at 9:59 a.m., commemorating the collapse of the South Tower, and 10:03 a.m., when a plane crashed into an empty Pennsylvania field.

The Tribute in Light, two blue beams positioned to echo the Twin Towers, will light up the sky from dusk until dawn Thursday night. The twin beams reach up to 4 miles in the sky and can be seen 60 miles away.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum opened at 8 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. The last entry to the museum will be at 5:30 p.m.