BOSTON (WHDH) – As communities across the country marked the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Wednesday, state and local leaders in Boston and other Massachusetts communities joined in paying tribute.
From the annual reading of names of people from Massachusetts who died in the attacks, to Boston’s annual wreath laying at the Public Garden, large crowds gathered throughout the day.
“More than two decades after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, our nation still feels the weight of this painful anniversary,” said Gov. Maura Healey in a post on X Wednesday morning. “We remember the innocent lives lost, the heroes who ran toward danger, and the survivors who inspire us all with their strength and resilience.”
Hijackers took control of four planes on Sept. 11, including two planes that departed from Logan Airport in Boston. The terrorists flew the two planes from Boston into the World Trade Center towers in New York.
A permanent memorial now stands outside Logan Airport and is open to the public.
Local programming for the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 included the reading of victims’ names at the Massachusetts State House at 8:30 a.m. Healey presided over the event alongside Karin Giansanti, a family advisory member for the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund.
Many event attendees soon moved inside the State House for the presentation of the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery.
Sweeney lived in Acton and was a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, which took off from Logan Airport on Sept. 11, 2001. Once the attack started, Sweeney was able to call an American Airlines ground supervisor and relay information about the hijackers on her plane before they crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
The Sweeney Award was created after the attacks. It aims to honor the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001 and “honor [Sweeney’s] legacy of exceptional heroism,” as described in a statement from the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
This year’s Sweeney Award went to 26-year-old Jillian Smith of Wales, Massachusetts, honoring her actions to rescue her elderly neighbor from a fire in their home in December of last year.
“Sweeney Award recipients exemplify the very best of humanity, reminding us that even in the darkest times, there are always individuals, like Jillian Smith, who rise to the occasion, bravely facing adversity and embracing the call to help others,” Healey said in the Office of Public Safety and Security’s statement.
“This award is a testament to [Smith’s] extraordinary actions, and a reminder of the bravery demonstrated by Madeline Sweeney and countless others during the tragic events of 9/11,” added Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.
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Anniversary programming continued at 1:30 p.m. with a wreath laying and ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial at the Boston Public Garden. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu presided over the event.
The annual Massachusetts Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony stepped off with a procession at Boston Common later in the day, leading to Ashburton Park next to the State House.
Other ceremonies in Boston included a service and a series of four-gun salutes from the USS Constitution Wednesday morning.
Outside the city, communities across the state gathered on town commons and around 9/11 memorials for flag raisings, speeches, and moments of silence.
Coverage of the 9/11 anniversary continues throughout the day; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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Publish date : 2024-09-10 13:00:00
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