Seventh Moment of Silence Planned for 9/11 Memorial 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 include a seventh silent moment to specifically acknowledge the thousands who later died from diseases tied to the disaster. A health program was launched in 2011 to offer medical support to affected individuals.
A commentary published this week reflects on 25 years since the attacks and mentions that Hasan Piker has suggested the United States deserved the attacks. The piece also reviews the original attacks, the casualties, and the subsequent NATO response and two‑decade war in Afghanistan.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 83m later
- Coverage peaked at 20 outlets in a single hour
Why it matters
It underscores the lasting health consequences for survivors and keeps public attention on how the attacks are remembered.
How this story developed
- Aug 28 Forgotten Lessons of 9/11 Fuel Growing Islamist Influence in U.S. Politics
- Sep 2 A 21-foot, 16,900-pound steel beam from the World Trade Center's South Tower was delivered to the U.S. Military Academy, marking a stop on the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's Steel Across America tour.
- Sep 6 A new analysis highlights the generational shift in how Americans born after 2001 perceive and commemorate 9/11.
- Sep 7 Donald Trump claimed he went to the World Trade Center site with construction crews the day after 9/11, a statement disputed by first-responders.
- Sep 8 Trump added the Medal of Freedom award for Welles Crowther and the cutter‑naming announcement to the memorial event.
- Sep 8 The beam has moved from West Point to Boston as part of the ongoing tour.
- Sep 10 Construction of the 2 WTC tower, designed by Foster+Partners, began near the memorial, while Mayor Zohran Mamdani presided over the commemorative ceremony.
- Sep 10 The city is preparing its traditional memorial service at the former World Trade Center site, which normally includes six silent pauses for key moments of the attacks. This year a seventh pause will be added to honor the thousands who succumbed to illnesses linked to the disaster long after the event. Officials note that many first-responders and survivors continue to suffer health problems, and a long-term health program was created in 2011 to provide ongoing care. Retired police lieutenant Thomas Wilson, who worked at Ground Zero, is among those whose cancers have been attributed to the attacks.
- Sep 11 Groundbreaking for 2 World Trade Center took place during the annual memorial ceremony.
- Sep 11 The ceremony will feature a seventh silent moment for the first time.
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