Ceremonies today mark a sad anniversary

#MiddleburyCT #September11 #TwinTowers #Shanksville #Terrorists

Middlebury’s Field of Flags commemorates both the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and the 250th anniversary of the United States. Each flag is a symbol of remembrance, gratitude and hope. The 250-flag display is at the corner of Regan/Tucker Hill Roads and Middlebury Road. (Marjorie Needham photo)

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

Ceremonies today will honor the memories of those we lost on September 11, 2001, a sad anniversary for which no one would wish. Twenty-five years ago today, terrorists took control of four U.S. passenger planes, causing all four to crash, the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City to catch fire before collapsing, and nearly 3,000 people to die. On that tragic day, we lost fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, neighbors and friends. Many who died were first responders. Among the dead were 343 firefighters, 23 police officers, 37 port authority officers and eight paramedics.

Terrorists deliberately crashed three of the planes into buildings. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempted to overpower the hijackers. The three other planes were American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center; United Airlines Flight 175, which crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center; and American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

Further deaths resulted from the crash in the days and years following September 11. The rescue workers and civilians who survived the initial crashes, fires and collapse of the Twin Towers inhaled air filled with toxic gases and particles and many suffered long-term health effects from their exposure to those toxins. Wikipedia states thousands more died from 9/11-related health issues, including cancer, in the years following the attacks.

Many of us will attend ceremonies of remembrance today. We will pause to remember all those we lost.

Here in Middlebury, two events are scheduled. In the morning, the Middlebury Congregational Church will ring its bell at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m. to commemorate American Airlines Flight 11 hitting the North Tower, United Airlines Flight 175 hitting the South Tower, United Airlines Flight 77 crashing into the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93 crashing near Shanksville, Penn. Anyone wishing to do so is welcome to gather on the Green for a moment of silence at those times.

This evening, the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department will hold a 9/11 Ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department. This event is timed to allow the most members of the community to attend.

The state of Connecticut invites members of the public to attend a September 11 Remembrance Ceremony today, Friday, September 11, at 9 a.m. at the Connecticut Fire Academy at 34 Perimeter Road in Windsor Locks, Conn. Every member of the New York Fire Department who died on 9/11 will be honored with a small memorial sign and their official fire department picture, a reminder of the 343 firefighters who perished that day.

The memorial is part of the 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony at the Fire Academy sponsored by the Department of Energy Services and Public Protection (DESPP) and the Division of Fire Services Administration. “For first responders, this day carries deep meaning,” said DESPP Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins. “We know what it means to answer the call. We will always remember and honor the sacrifices made by our brothers and sisters on Sept. 11.”

The national commemoration on September 11, 2026, begins at 8:30 a.m. at the September 11 Memorial Plaza in New York and will be live at 911memorial.org/live. It also will be live on CNN, major broadcast networks and cable networks. Families of the victims will gather to read the names of the victims killed in the attacks. Six moments of silence will mark the times each World Trade Center tower was struck or fell, the Pentagon attack, and Flight 93’s crash. A seventh moment of silence will be added to honor those who died from 9/11-related illnesses.

From dusk on September 11 until dawn on September 12, the iconic Tribute in Light will be displayed in lower Manhattan as two blue beams illuminate the sky in memory of the Twin Towers.