What Do We Remember About 9/11? Whom Do We Remember?

Where were you on September 11, 2001, when you heard that at 8:46 a.m. a hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC) in Manhattan? And that minutes later hijackers crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower?

What were you doing when you heard that more hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia? And then when they crashed United Airlines Flight 93 into an empty field Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers and crew prevented it from reaching Washington, D.C.

At 9:59 a.m. the WTC’s South Tower collapsed. At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower collapsed.

What do we remember about that day 25 years ago ? Whom do we remember? How do we remember?

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. Among them were men and women who worked in the towers— including hundreds of insurance professionals— as well as people who happened to be nearby, and first responders risking their lives to save others.

The shocking violence and aftermath were deeply traumatic for individuals, families and friends. Rescue and debris clearing operations in the area known as Ground Zero took nine months. The air pollution from the fires took many lives and still affects many first responders and survivors.

In addition to the human toll, 9/11 led to major economic disruption and insurance costs. It remains the costliest man-made insurance event in history, with the insurance industry paying out about $19.6 billion at the time or about $59 billion in today’s dollars, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). Before 9/11, insurers included terrorism risk coverage in commercial policies but they began excluding terrorism after 9/11.

9/11 and Its Many Griefs Land Differently in America 25 Years Later

The attacks were carried out by 19 hijackers affiliated with the terrorist group al-Qaeda, which was led by Osama bin Laden and motivated by extreme anti-American ideology.

In response to the attacks, the U.S. launched military operations in Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban regime that was harboring bin Laden. The U.S. led an international campaign with NATO allies to dismantle al-Qaeda. In May 2011, U.S. special operations forces killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. A peace deal was signed with the Taliban in 2020 and U.S. and NATO troops withdrew in 2021. The war lasted 20 years, making it the longest in U.S. history. More than 2,300 U.S. service members, more than 1,100 Allied troops and close to 4,000 contractors lost their lives in the Afghanistan conflict, according to Brown University research. The Taliban has since returned to power in Afghanistan.

US House Passes Bill to Extend Federal Terrorism Backstop Through 2034

There are national and local memorials to honor American soldiers killed during the war on terrorism. A bronze monument in Liberty Park at Ground Zero in New York City honors U.S. Special Forces who served in Afghanistan. The National Infantry Museum in Georgia features granite panels with the names of nearly 7,000 service members who died in service since 9/11. Boston’s Seaport District is home to a lighted memorial with the names of 332 Massachusetts fallen heroes who lost their lives in the war on terrorism since 2001. “Remembering Our Fallen” is the title of a national traveling photographic war memorial that honors military personnel who died in the global war on terror, including those who lost who their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Domestically, the U.S. took steps to upgrade airport security, expand government surveillance, and provide a federal terrorism backstop for property insurance markets.

Who Is Being Remembered

A total of 2,753 people died at the WTC site, a total that includes all passengers and crew on the two planes, as well as those inside the towers and first responders. This devastating toll included 343 FDNY firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, and 37 Port Authority police officers who died trying to evacuate the buildings.

A total of 189 people died in the Pentagon attack, including 64 of those on the plane and 125 military or civilian personnel inside the building or on the ground.

In the Shanksville crash, all 33 passengers, 7 crew members and 4 hijackers were killed.

According to data from the World Trade Center Health Program, as many as 5,900 first responders and nearby survivors and workers have died from toxic dust and cancer-related illnesses triggered by Ground Zero exposure. Thousands more have been dealing with chronic illnesses and mental health issues. The World Trade Center Health Program is still treating people.

Marsh and Aon Remember

Victims came from all walks of life. Among them were 295 employees and 63 contractors with broker Marsh McLennan (and Guy Carpenter) and 176 people from insurance broker Aon. No businesses suffered more casualties.

“Each year, we remember the 358 colleagues and friends we lost on September 11, 2001, and rededicate ourselves to stand for kindness, courage and care,” reads the corporate memorial at Marsh’s main Manhattan headquarters. A giant glass wall is etched with the names and original signatures of every colleague who passed away. The memorial includes a garden, bench, and bronze monolith designed for quiet reflection.

Marsh also maintains an interactive Marsh Memorial Tributes Platform where people reflect on the tragedy and remember those lost to 9/11. These are several excerpts from posters:

“I remember this day like it was yesterday. I was on the bus on my way to work at 1166, and all I kept saying was “what a beautiful morning.” Little did I know I was going to lose friends and colleagues on this horrific day.”

“As lawyers we lived with the aftermath for many years, nothing compared to the pain of those we lost. One of the defining events of my life of 74 years.”

“The lights flickered off and then back on. Then the stampede which signaled our world had changed as we lost dear friends on that awful morning. I was able to walk/run away as firemen and police bravely ran in. I walked north with my Dad and saw so many acts of kindness.”

Aon maintains the Aon Book of Remembrance and Legacy website that honor their former colleagues and the first responders. Colleagues and loved ones share memories:

“Today, our Aon colleagues around the world pause to remember those we lost 25 years ago. Though we are spread across many countries and time zones, we are united in honoring their memory and the lasting impact they had on our firm and on one another.”

“That day is forever etched in my memory, along with the profound sadness felt around the world. I am thinking of all those affected by this attack, and especially those who lost their lives. #AON #NeverForget.”

“I was in my fifth-grade classroom when the towers were struck. All of the kids were watching the TV but could not process the gravity of what we were seeing. I can still remember the burning smell that enveloped Long Island. I remember the large trailing stream of smoke billowing from the towers.”

The Aon Memorial Education Fund (AMEF) has been providing scholarships to the children of Aon employees who perished in the attacks. Since its inception, the fund has issued more than $7.1 million in student assistance to nearly 130 dependents

What Do We Remember?

If you are like most Americans, you remember where you were when the attacks happened. A new Ipsos poll found that three in four (75%) Americans remember where they were when they heard news about the attacks. Pew Research similarly found that many Americans remember the day with clarity: 83% of adults who were born before 2001 – including 93% of those who were 10 or older at the time – say they recall exactly where they were or what they were doing when they heard the news.

Ipsos asked those who remember where they were what the most important historic events are in their lifetime. The replies: overall 47% said the 9/11 attacks, with the COVID-19 pandemic second (31%).

However, just a third of Americans under age 35 (33%) cited the 9/11 attacks as one of the most important historical events in their lifetime, compared to more than 50% of their older counterparts.

According to Pew Research, the share of American adults who did not experience that day continues to rise: 10% of adults today were born after 2001. A majority (60%) of these young adults –who are 18 to 24 today – say they first learned about the attacks in class or through schoolwork (60%).

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is dedicated to exploring 9/11 and examining its continuing significance. Located on eight of the 16 acres of the WTC site, the 9/11 museum honors the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and on February 26, 1993, when terrorists detonated an explosive in the parking garage beneath the North Tower of the WTC, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000.

Recognizing that one-third of the Americans have no lived memory of the terrorist attacks or the response, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum recently launched a campaign for The Never Forget Fund, a way for Americans to support 9/11 education. Michael R. Bloomberg, 9/11 Memorial & Museum chairman, announced he would match the next $25 million raised.

“As our nation approaches the 25th anniversary of one of the darkest days in its 250-year history, we must redouble our efforts to ensure Americans never forget what happened on 9/11 and how we responded. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is dedicated to honoring the lives of those we lost, uplifting the service and sacrifice of our first responders, and educating young people across the country who did not live that tragic day. The Never Forget Fund will support this critical mission for generations to come,” said Bloomberg.

Top Photo: The 9/11 Museum displays an image of one of the Twin Towers outside the 9/11 memorial site at Ground Zero, 25 years after the attacks on the World Trade Center, on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)