Why There Will Be a New Moment of Silence at Ground Zero
Goldlaner.com – Why there will be a new moment of silence at this year’s September 11 ceremony comes down to losses that continued long after the attacks. For the first time, the annual observance at the World Trade Center site will include a seventh pause to honor people who later died from illnesses linked to toxic exposure at Ground Zero.
The ceremony has traditionally observed six moments of silence as nearly 3,000 victims’ names are read. Bells mark the times when the four hijacked planes crashed and when the two World Trade Center towers fell, with each bell followed by a period of silence.
The additional moment recognizes the long-term human cost of September 11. By March 2024, nearly 7,000 people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program had died after developing illnesses associated with exposure to dust, debris and toxic materials from the attacks and recovery work.
“As the years pass and the human toll grows, we reckon with the cost of September 11th whenever another New Yorker is stolen from us too soon,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “Now, close to 25 years later, more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed on the day itself.”
Why the ceremony is adding a seventh pause
Why there will be a new moment of silence is especially meaningful to families whose loved ones survived September 11 but died years later. Family members of people who died from 9/11-related diseases, as well as survivors who are still living, will take part in the ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. The seventh bell and silence are expected at about 12:30 p.m., after the six traditional bells.
The new pause does not replace or diminish the original six moments of silence. Instead, it broadens the public remembrance to include rescue workers, recovery personnel, residents, workers and others whose exposure to the disaster site had lasting health consequences.
Leah Betso’s father, New York City Police Officer James Betso, spent months working in recovery operations at Ground Zero. He died of brain cancer in 2015.
“It means having my dad’s story along with all the other stories acknowledged as a part of the entire 9/11 story, as well,” Leah Betso said. “For families like me, the loss came many years later, and this moment is recognizing that.”
Health effects that emerged over decades
Cancer, respiratory illness and post-traumatic stress disorder are among the conditions diagnosed in people affected by the attacks and their aftermath. More than 57,000 participants in the World Trade Center Health Program have received cancer diagnoses.
Created in 2011 after years of advocacy, the program provides medical monitoring and no-cost treatment for eligible people with 9/11-related health conditions. Its services extend beyond lower Manhattan to include people who were at the Pentagon and responders in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Billy Gormley, a New York City firefighter, spent months at the World Trade Center recovery site and died of bladder cancer in 2017. His daughter, Bridget Gormley, later learned more about the scale of illnesses connected to recovery work while making a film about the health effects of September 11.
For families like the Betsos and Gormleys, why there will be a new moment of silence is not simply ceremonial. It is an acknowledgment that the disaster’s consequences did not end when the attacks ended, and that many people carried those consequences for years.
Ground Zero ceremony FAQ
What is the new moment of silence for? The seventh pause honors people who died from illnesses linked to exposure at Ground Zero and during the September 11 recovery effort.
When will the new pause take place? The ceremony begins at 11 a.m., and the seventh bell and silence are expected at approximately 12:30 p.m., after the six traditional moments.
Who can receive care through the World Trade Center Health Program? Eligible people with 9/11-related health conditions may receive monitoring and treatment through the program, which serves people affected in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville.
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