Memorial ceremony adds seventh silent tribute to honor later-onset victims

On the anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, New York will hold its customary memorial gathering at the former site, featuring six periods of silence that correspond to the main events of the day. For the first time, organizers will insert a seventh silent moment to specifically acknowledge the thousands who later died from diseases tied to the disaster. City authorities have highlighted that exposure to dust and hazardous substances at the wreckage caused lasting health issues for many rescue workers and residents.

In response, a dedicated health program was launched in 2011 to offer extended medical support to affected individuals across the United States. Approximately tens of thousands have enrolled, with dozens diagnosed with cancers and other conditions linked to the attacks. Retired NYPD lieutenant Thomas Wilson, who spent hundreds of hours clearing debris at Ground Zero, said his own diagnoses of tongue and skin cancer, as well as PTSD, were recognized by the program as attack-related illnesses.