Beneath a clear September sky, much like the one Americans remember from 25 years ago, people across the region gathered to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, along with the first responders and service members whose sacrifices followed.

The anniversary was marked by ceremonies across Massachusetts, including the traditional reading of the names of victims with ties to the state. But 25 years after the attacks, the day also carried the responsibility of teaching a new generation why the country vowed never to forget.

Roughly one-third of Americans were born after Sept. 11, 2001, according to demographic estimates highlighted by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. 

For approximately 100 million Americans, the attacks are not a memory, but history learned through textbooks, recordings, and the accounts of those who witnessed them.

That generational divide has made local ceremonies vital, allowing communities to preserve the stories of those who died and pass the meaning of the day to those too young to remember it.

Here is how communities across the region marked the anniversary:

LYNN 

By: Erin Hickey

Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan asked those gathered Friday to remember not only the pain the country experienced that day, but what it learned from it. 

“There’s an old idea that pain serves a purpose,” Sullivan said. “Physical pain is our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong, that something needs our attention.” 

The attacks, Sullivan said, brought a similar kind of pain, exposing vulnerabilities and forcing public safety agencies to reconsider how they prepare for emergencies. 

“If we truly want to honor them, we have an obligation to learn from what happened,” he said. “Since that day, we have changed how we train, how we prepare for terrorism, how we prepare for large-scale emergencies, how we anticipate threats that may not have been anything we’ve encountered before.” 

Years later, he said, remembering that pain is an important part of a continued reckoning with the tragedy. 

“September 11 changed us forever,” Sullivan said. “But honoring those we lost is making sure the lessons that came from such tremendous pain are never forgotten.” 

The ceremony, held at the Lynn Fire Headquarters on Western Avenue, also included a National Anthem sung by Beth Hilton, the ringing of the bells, a moment of silence marking the collapse of the South Tower at 9:59 a.m., and the Firefighter’s Prayer, read by Lynn Fire Capt. Mario Lopez. 

Police Chief Christoper Reddy focused his remarks on what it truly means to “never forget,” saying the phrase encompasses not only the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks, but the thousands who escaped or were rescued and the acts of courage that saved their lives. 

“‘Never forget’ is about the countless acts of personal valor that continue to inspire us today,” Reddy said. “Never forget also reminds us of how, in the darkest of hours, we can come together as a nation to remind the world that our freedom may come at a heavy price, but it will never be surrendered.” 

Mayor Jared C. Nicholson reflected on what the passage of a quarter-century means for a new generation of first responders. The anniversary, he said, was an important reminder of an obligation to remember the fear the country had experienced, as well as the bravery of those who answered the call to respond. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect and commemorate with you all,” Nicholson said, addressing the police and fire personnel in attendance. “With the understanding that every day you continue to serve our community in the face of great peril, and to echo our community’s gratitude to those who responded in so many different ways.” 

LYNNFIELD 

By: Erin Hickey

As Fire Chief Glenn Davis stood before residents to commemorate the anniversary, he was also marking a personal milestone: the final 9/11 remembrance he will attend as the town’s fire chief. 

Davis, who plans to retire at the end of the year, reflected on what he has learned from a career spent sending firefighters into situations others are trying to escape. 

“Every time the alarm sounds, we leave the safety of the firehouse and step into what may be somebody else’s worst day,” Davis said. 

The connection between the sacrifices made on Sept. 11 and the work of local first responders today was a theme throughout the ceremony. Town Administrator Rob Dolan told those gathered that while the day is meant to honor those who died in the attacks, Lynnfield tries “as a community to turn it into something more positive.”

For firefighters, Davis said, the images of first responders running toward the World Trade Center amid evacuating masses remain especially powerful. 

“In the fire service, we talk a lot about courage,” he said. “But courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is recognizing the danger and moving forward anyway because someone needs you.” 

Much has changed in the 25 years since the attacks, Davis said, from the department’s equipment and training to its facilities. The fundamental responsibility, however, remains the same. 

“When someone calls 9-1-1, they’re not thinking about what time of day it is, what the weather is, or if we’re already busy,” Davis said. “They need someone to come. And they trust that we will.” 

Davis acknowledged that some of the department’s younger firefighters were not yet alive on Sept. 11, 2001, making it increasingly important for those who remember the attacks to pass their stories on. 

“This is my final September 11th memorial speech,” Davis said. “At the end of this year, I’ll retire from a profession that’s been such an important part of my life.” 

He ended with a promise that he said has defined fire service across generations. 

“When the alarm sounds, we will answer,” Davis said. “When someone needs help, we will go. And we will never forget those who went before us.” 

Police Chief Nick Secatore paid tribute to Davis in his remarks, calling him “the embodiment of a first responder and a servant to this town.” Secatore described Davis as synonymous with the type of advocate, friend, colleague, and mentor that is associated with the firefighting profession. 

Select Board member Dick Dalton brought the anniversary closer to home by remembering two people with Lynnfield connections who were killed in the attacks. 

Dalton spoke about a personal friend, Garnet “Ace” Bailey, who was aboard United Airlines Flight 175 when it struck the South Tower. He remembered Ace, who had a long career as both a player and a scout in the National Hockey League, as a vibrant personality among the Lynnfield Youth Hockey parents. 

He also paid tribute to Lynnfield native Sean Patrick Lynch, who was 34 years old and working on the 104th floor of the North Tower when the attacks happened. Ace and Lynch, Dalton said, were symbols in Lynnfield, and a personal reminder that the thousands killed that day were more than a number. 

“Each one of those victims is a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister,” Dalton said. “Each had a name. Each had a story.” 

The ceremony began with an opening prayer from the Rev. Paul Bacon, while Lynnfield Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance and presented the colors. Grace Ferri, cantor at Ave Maria Parish, sang the National Anthem. 

Davis then led local firefighters in the traditional ringing of the bells, explaining the fire service tradition before the bell was tolled five times in four repetitions to commemorate firefighters killed in the line of duty. Those gathered then observed a minute of silence. 

The ceremony concluded with a closing prayer from Bacon before Ferri led those gathered in singing “God Bless America,” with members of the crowd joining in. 

MARBLEHEAD 

By: Sophia Harris

Editorial Director

In Marblehead, speakers reflected on a generation coming of age without memories of the attacks. For many young firefighters, police officers, and military members, Sept. 11, 2001, is history rather than lived experience.

“Remembrance cannot belong only to those who were there,” Police Chief Dennis King said. “It must be passed from this generation to the next.”

The ceremony, which garnered more than 50 attendees, included prayers, tributes from the town’s public-safety leaders, and the recitation of the firefighter’s and police officer’s prayers. Uniformed police officers and firefighters stood nearby as the names of Marblehead residents killed in the attacks were read aloud.

Dr. Frederick Rimmele and William Weems were passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was hijacked after departing Logan International Airport and flown into the World Trade Center’s South Tower. Marblehead native Erik Hans Isbrandtsen was working for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the North Tower.

“Their absence left an enduring void in our community,” Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said. “To their families, who have carried the burden of that loss for 25 years, we offer our deepest respect and our solemn assurance that Marblehead remembers.”

Gilliland said the first responders who entered the burning towers did not pause to consider the backgrounds or beliefs of those who needed help. They saw people in danger and acted.

“That is the essence of public service,” he said.

The ceremony also honored Army Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Piper, Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Christopher B. Shay, and Army Sgt. Rachel R. McKay, Marblehead service members whose deaths reflected the lasting consequences of the wars that followed the attacks.

Roseann Trionfi-Mazzuchelli, a veterans agent and an Army reservist whose criminal investigation unit was ordered to the Pentagon after the attack, recalled unit members traveling to Washington to help process the crime scene and provide protection. The deployment lasted three years for many members of the unit.

Six have since died from cancers after being exposed to hazardous toxins, she said.

“So many more lives have been lost due to the aftermath of responding to the calls for help on 9/11,” she said. “So many more are suffering.”

King recalled standing guard at the liquefied natural gas facility in Salem after the attacks and seeing fighter jets overhead — a sign that the world had changed. He also remembered the unity that followed, when people helped strangers, donated blood, and displayed American flags outside their homes.

Twenty-five years later, he said, preserving that part of the story is as important as remembering the horror.

“We gather not simply to look back,” King said, “but to make sure that the people and sacrifices of September 11 continue to have meaning.”

NAHANT 

By: Sophia Harris

Members of the Nahant Fire Department marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks Friday with a memorial stair climb honoring the 343 New York City firefighters killed at the World Trade Center.

The climb followed the town’s annual remembrance ceremony, which began and ended with the “Striking of the Four Fives,” a fire service tradition used to announce the death of a firefighter in the line of duty.

Fire Chief Austin Antrim explained that the signal dates to a time when fire departments used bells to alert volunteer firefighters of an emergency. After fire alarm boxes and telegraph systems became widespread, departments developed special bell patterns to communicate other information.

The Four Fives, five strikes repeated four times, notified fire stations that a firefighter had died in the line of duty.

“We begin and end our September 11 remembrance ceremony to honor the 343 FDNY personnel who were killed in the line of duty on that day,” Antrim said.

Antrim said Sept. 11, 2001, “altered the course of history” and began decades of sacrifice extending far beyond the lives lost that morning.

“Now, 25 years later, we have an entire generation who have only known their country with its military engaged in conflict,” Antrim said.

He recognized the hundreds of thousands of people who volunteered for military service after the attacks, despite knowing they could be deployed into danger. More than 7,000 U.S. service members have been killed and approximately 53,000 wounded in post-9/11 military operations, Antrim said. He also cited the toll of suicide among veterans and service members.

The consequences have continued for those who responded to the World Trade Center. Hundreds of first responders who worked at the site have since died from 9/11-related illnesses, while thousands more are living with cancer and other health conditions.

“That is why we pause to remember and reflect,” Antrim said.

Antrim said that some of the most enduring images from the attacks show firefighters carrying tools and protective equipment up the stairs of the World Trade Center as others fled.

“The images of firefighters, burdened with their tools and protective equipment climbing the stairs of the World Trade Center towers, contrasted with the images of the towers collapsing, is a poignant reminder of the oath that first responders take,” Antrim said. “We understand that our occupation may require us to risk ourselves to try and save others.”

He said he had considered completing a 9/11 memorial stair climb for years but had never participated in one. He decided the 25th anniversary was the right time to take on the challenge.

Antrim initially planned to complete the climb himself. Before Friday’s ceremony, however, he emailed members of the department to tell them what he intended to do. Several firefighters chose to join him.

“We gather to honor those that have made that sacrifice and to remind ourselves that we must use their example to remember to always do what we can to remain prepared,” Antrim said.

PEABODY

By: Haley Hadge

The Peabody community gathered at the Public Safety Memorial on Perkins Street to honor and remember those who died 25 years ago during the events of 9/11.

“It’s very eerie to be here on the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. That day was much like today,” said Chief of Police Thomas M. Griffin.Across the street from the memorial people strolled through Emerson Park — enjoying the brisk early September air the way those who were lost 25 years ago did as they boarded their planes, walked into their offices in the twin towers, or clocked in at fire stations and police stations across the nation.  

Peabody firefighters, police officers, veterans, and public officials walked along the path of names etched into the stones leading to the memorial, and prepared their hearts and minds for a solemn day of remembrance.

“It’s a lot of numbers,” Griffin said. “Each one of those represents a family who lost a loved one. A coworker who will never return to headquarters, and a community that’s lost an amazing person.”

Peabody lost three such souls on that day, said Mayor Ted Bettencourt. They were Christine A. Barbuto, Natalie “Janice” Lasdon, and Donald A. DiTullio. 

“It’s important we come together as a community in Peabody to pay respects for those lives lost,” Bettencourt said.

Bettencourt said the memorial was rebuilt 10 years ago, and thanked the police officers and firefighters who restored it. 

“They worked hard to create this beautiful memorial to honor the hard work and sacrifices of our police officers and firefighters,” he said. 

DiTullio’s family stood among fellow Peabody residents, listening to the spoken remarks and the ringing of the “last alarm” bell. They  watched as the American flag was lowered to half-staff and then raised once more to full-staff to honor and remember those who were lost. 

DiTullio and Lasdon were longtime companions and on their way to a vacation in California when their American Airlines Flight 11, en route to Los Angeles, was hijacked.  

DiTullio’s mother, Marjorie DiTullio; his niece, Ellen Lemire; and Marjorie’s granddaughter, Colleen Barr, shared the memory of the last moments they all spent together with Donald at his mother’s 80th birthday party. 

The last photo of Donald was taken at that party. Barr wore a pin of the photo, which featured Donald and Janice together, on her shirt. 

“A few weeks later he was gone, and with Janice, and so here we are — Marjorie is 105, and it’s the same routine,” Barr said.

“The same routine,” Barr said, meant the family’s annual ritual of joining together to grieve and show their love for this Peabody community member, an uncle, a father, a brother, and a son.   

Peabody Fire Chief John Dowling spoke about the lasting impact of the tragedy. 

“25 years have passed, but the memories of that day remain with us,” Dowling said. “For the families who lost someone on Sept. 11, 25 years may have passed, but the loss never truly goes away. Today we stand with them and honor the lives of those they love. As firefighters, we also carry their example with us every time we answer an alarm.” 

Firefighters, veterans, and members of the Peabody community bowed their heads in a moment of collective solace as Father Christopher Foustoukos of St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, led everyone in a prayer for the fallen, but never forgotten. 

“We value those who have gone before us by the way we live on with their memory,” Foustoukos said. 

Prior to the official ceremony, Marine Corps veteran David Ray said he has “a lot of connection to today.”

Ray said he lost his friend, Sgt. Michael Sean Curtin, of the New York City Police Department, on that day. 

Ray said he and Curtin were roommates when they trained and served in the Marine Corps. 

According to the 9/11 Living Memorial website, Curtin was killed while attempting to rescue victims trapped in the World Trade Center.

Ray said that Curtin “didn’t want to leave anybody behind — that’s a big Marine Corps thing, and you know, he waited, and he didn’t make it out.”

Griffin said the heroic actions of first responders on that day were emblematic of the job. Those brave men and women were part of a shared mission that continues through public service today. 

“In public safety, we have a habit of self-deploying when there is a critical incident, and that occurred in earnest as a result of this tragedy,” Griffin said. “Police, fire, EMTs from all over the East Coast and beyond responded to Ground Zero, not knowing what was needed, but willing to do anything to help their fellow public safety officials.” 

Dowling also spoke about that call to duty. 

“Our job is about helping people on what may be the worst day of their lives,” Dowling said. “It’s about showing up, doing our job, and being there when needed. The men and the women who responded that day showed us the very best of that commitment.”

The anniversary, Dowling said, marked an important reminder of the bravery shown by those first responders who died helping others. 

“Twenty-five years later, we remember their courage,” he said. “We honor their sacrifice, and we carry their memory forward. Most importantly, we will never forget.”

SAUGUS

By: Elizabeth Della Piana

Saugus held two ceremonies to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11: one in the morning at the Public Safety Building and a second outside Town Hall. 

During the morning ceremony, retired Fire Capt. Bill O’Malley led everyone in prayer and Fire Chief Michael Newbury spoke about the two Saugus residents, Gertrude Alagiro and David DeMeglio, who were killed that day.

Newbury remembered the moment his landline rang, and a friend delivered the news of the first plane hitting the North Tower at 8:46 a.m., the same time the department began its ceremony. 

“I quickly ran, fumbled around, found my remote, and turned my television on. And on the screen, to the disbelief of the newscasters that were there, fire was pouring out of one of the towers of the World Trade Center,” he said. 

Newbury witnessed the second plane hit on his TV screen, and paused to remember the 344 firefighters who responded and died that day, along with the 71 law enforcement members and 55 military members who died. 

“I was down at Ground Zero within one month, and what struck me the most when I got down there wasn’t the rubble. It wasn’t the dust, the dirt. It was St. Paul’s Chapel that was built in 1766, that was directly next to the towers. And that building went unscathed. That building was a sanctuary for the people that were grieving and looking for their loved ones,” he said. 

Newbury also remembered those who are still dying from the effects of 9/11.

“To this day we’re still losing Americans. Twenty-five years later,” he said.

The solemnity continued later in the evening, when the community gathered at Town Hall.

Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta spoke about the events that occurred on September 11, 2001, reminding everyone of the brave acts of those who responded.

“We should never forget their courage or their sacrifice. … As years pass, it becomes even more important that we remember. Some of our children and young people today weren’t alive on September 11, 2001. To them, it’s history. It is our responsibility to make sure they know that history,” Panetta said. 

Panetta was joined by Rev. Joe Hoyle and Rev. Wayne Shirk, who both drew on faith for strength on the anniversary, and thanked those who sacrificed their lives and the first responders who continue that sacrifice. 

State Rep. Donald Wong reminded everyone how Americans came together after the attacks.

“I hope that we can do as much as we can for each other. The week after 9/11, this country was the most patriotic … you couldn’t buy a flag. Everyone was so polite,” he said.

Panetta then shared the stories of the two Saugonians who were killed in the attacks while retired Master Sgt. Keith McDonald rang a bell in remembrance.

“Sept. 11 changed the course of all of our lives. It changed our military community, our first responder community, our local communities, and our entire country forever,” McDonald said. “But there’s something else I remember. I remember us.”

McDonald said the little things that divided everyone suddenly seemed small.

“We were Americans first. … Twenty-five years later, we have a responsibility to remember, not only those we lost, but also the spirit that followed Sept. 11,” he said. “We are strongest when we stand together.”

The ceremony ended with Rev. Bob Leroe reading a poem he had found years ago about the events of 9/ll before delivering the benediction through song.

SWAMPSCOTT

By: Elizabeth Della Piana

In Swampscott, firefighters, police officers, local officials, and residents gathered at the fire station to remember those who died and all who were affected by 9/11. 

The ceremony began with Swampscott High School student Kira Madruga singing the National Anthem before Rev. Mark Templeton was invited up for the opening reflection.

“It is important that we remember. It is important that we gather. It is important that we think those things that bring peace and hope,” Templeton said.

He led everyone in a prayer for all who suffered during the attacks, and gave thanks to the men and women who served “fearlessly, and with valor.” 

Rabbi Yossi Lipsker also spoke during the ceremony and delivered the benediction.

“We stand together this morning on sacred ground. The sacred ground of our shared memories. The sacred ground of the broken hearts that we all shared, and the horror, and the aftermath, and the weight of 9/11,” Rabbi Lipsker said.

Rabbi Lipsker remembered the firefighters, police officers, and first responders who ran toward danger “giving their last full measure of devotion.” 

At 10:03 a.m., the same time United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, PA, a moment of silence was held before Firefighter Benjamin Rossman rang the Four Fives.

Fire Chief Graham Archer then read the names of those from Swampscott who died in connection with 9/11: Robert Jalbert, who was on United Airlines Flight 175; Michael Kelly, a journalist who was killed while covering the war in Iraq; U.S. Army Spc. Jared Raymond, U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jennifer Harrison, and U.S. Army Spc. Joseph Lewis, who were killed in Iraq; and retired Swampscott Fire Lt. Ed Seligman, who provided aid on 9/11 and died in 2023 from occupational cancer. 

“The words never forget are often repeated. They should mean more than remembering the images of destruction. They should be remembering the lives that we lived. Supporting those who still bear the wounds, teaching those who were not yet born,” Archer said. 

Archer said the station hired its first firefighter last year who had been born after 9/11.

“Our job is not to ask young people to inherit only our grief. It is to show them the courage, discipline, generosity, and unity that emerged in the face of that grief,” he said.  

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