A 7th Moment of Silence Will Be Added for 9/11’s 25th Anniversary
It has been twenty-five years since the September 11 terrorist attacks changed the nation forever and I still remember where I was and what I was doing that day.
I was a freshman in high school and was listening to the breaking news on the radio. I didn’t quite understand the seriousness of this until I got to school and started watching the news. That whole day in school our teachers allowed us to watch the news to understand what was happening and why this was so serious.
The days that followed 9/11 would be tough for many Americans because we started to learn about the victims from the attack, hearing their final phone calls to family, and learning what some people in those planes tried to do to save their lives. It’s a day I will never forget and neither will America.
Nation to Mark 25 Years Since 9/11 With Moments of Silence
In honor of the lives lost that day, Americans will pause Friday to remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives and honor the countless others whose lives were forever affected.
As the country marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, moments of silence will be observed throughout the day to coincide with the key moments of the attacks.
8:46 A.M. (6:46 a.m. MT)
The first moment of silence will take place at 8:46 a.m., marking the time American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m. (7:03 a.m. MT)
At 9:03 a.m., another moment of silence will be recognized when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower.
9:37 a.m. (7:37 a.m. MT)
The nation will then pause at 9:37 a.m., marking when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.
9:59 a.m. (7:59 a.m. MT)
At 9:59 a.m., a moment of silence will remember those lost when the South Tower collapsed.
10:03 a.m. (8:03 a.m. MT)
At 10:03 a.m., Americans will pause to remember the passengers and crew aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempted to fight back against the hijackers.
10:28 a.m. (8:03 a.m. MT)
The final traditional moment of silence will take place at 10:28 a.m., marking the collapse of the North Tower.
But this year's 25th anniversary will include something new: a seventh moment of silence.
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum will add the additional moment following the reading of the names to honor people who have died from illnesses connected to their time at or near the World Trade Center site.
The addition recognizes the lasting health consequences of 9/11 and the thousands of first responders, workers, residents and others who have faced serious illnesses in the years since the attacks.
Twenty-five years later, the moments of silence offer a chance to stop, reflect and remember not only those who were lost on September 11, 2001, but those whose lives were forever changed in the years that followed.
And on this anniversary, I hope that we as Americans always remember that hate is never the answer. Love is the answer.
Remembering 9/11: 24 years later
Gallery Credit: Getty Images