Daily News 19

Tag: World Trade Center

  • 9/11 25th Anniversary: Photos From the Day America Changed Forever

    9/11 25th Anniversary: Photos From the Day America Changed Forever

    September 11, 2001, remains a day the nation will never forget. On that morning, thousands of emergency responders and civilians risked their lives to save others amid unimaginable tragedy. The attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 sparked a profound national unity that defined a generation.

    Remembering the Sacrifice of First Responders

    Firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and ordinary citizens rushed toward danger when others fled. Their courage turned the Twin Towers’ collapse into a testament to human resilience. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost, including 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers, making it the deadliest incident for first responders in U.S. history.

    A Nation United in Grief and Resolve

    In the hours and days that followed, Americans across the country donated blood, volunteered at ground zero, and displayed flags in solidarity. The shared grief transcended political, racial, and economic divides, creating a moment of collective purpose that still resonates in memorial ceremonies and national policy.

    Reflecting on the Legacy 25 Years After the Twin Towers

    As the nation approaches the 25-year mark since the towers fell, the focus shifts to preserving memory for those born after 2001. Annual commemorations at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the Pentagon Memorial, and the Flight 93 National Memorial ensure the stories of heroism and loss remain central to the American narrative.

  • Mark Wahlberg Claims He Narrowly Missed First 9/11 Plane Hitting World Trade Center

    Mark Wahlberg Claims He Narrowly Missed First 9/11 Plane Hitting World Trade Center

    This article contains details which some readers may find distressing.

    Mark Wahlberg’s 9/11 Flight Controversy and Apology

    Actor Mark Wahlberg faced significant backlash after making controversial comments about what he believed would have happened if he had been aboard one of the planes used in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Twenty-five years ago, Wahlberg was originally scheduled to fly on American Airlines Flight 11, the first aircraft to strike the World Trade Center’s North Tower.

    Last-Minute Travel Change Saved the Actor

    Wahlberg had been booked on the Boston-to-Los Angeles flight but decided at the last minute to travel to a film festival in Toronto instead, requiring a different flight. This spontaneous decision meant he was not on board when terrorists crashed the plane into the North Tower, killing all 92 people aboard.

    Controversial Comments to Men’s Journal

    Years later, when asked about the near-miss by Men’s Journal, Wahlberg described a scenario in which he would have single-handedly thwarted the hijacking:

    “If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did,” he claimed. “There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, ‘Okay, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry’.”

    In essence, Wahlberg suggested that his presence would have led to the terrorists being beaten and the aircraft landed safely.

    Backlash from Victims’ Families

    The remarks drew immediate and fierce criticism from loved ones of those who perished in the attacks. The widow of a man killed on 9/11 labeled Wahlberg’s comments “disrespectful,” echoing the sentiment of many who felt the actor diminished the bravery of the actual passengers and crew.

    Formal Apology Issued

    Following the outcry, Wahlberg released a formal apology acknowledging the insensitivity of his speculation:

    “To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible.”

    “I deeply apologise to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive. It was certainly not my intention.”

    25 Years Since the September 11 Attacks

    As the 25th anniversary of the attacks approaches, the nation reflects on the loss of 2,977 lives. The milestone has prompted many to revisit harrowing footage and firsthand accounts to grasp the terrifying scale of destruction.

    Eyewitness Account: Stefan Horlacher

    Stefan Horlacher, who witnessed Flight 11 striking the North Tower from two blocks away, shared his experience with LADbible. He recalled feeling vibrations from the impact and described the horrifying scenes that unfolded outside:

    “We had the first jumpers, splashing on the plaza. Almost every 10 seconds, maybe 20 seconds, somebody right in front of you, kind of splashed on the plaza,” he said. “They always gave [me] that deep, dark noise… Then you knew it was more serious than just a tiny accident.”

    Horlacher’s testimony underscores the unimaginable horror faced by those in Lower Manhattan that morning, a stark contrast to the hypothetical scenarios later debated in the media.

  • How Final Calls From 9/11 Became a Record of the Tragedy

    How Final Calls From 9/11 Became a Record of the Tragedy

    9/11 Timeline: Final Calls from Flights 11 and 175 Reveal Human Stories Behind the Attacks

    American Airlines Flight 11 Strikes the North Tower

    American Airlines Flight 11 departed Boston for Los Angeles carrying 76 passengers, 11 crew members, five hijackers, and approximately 10,000 gallons of jet fuel. At 8:46 a.m., the aircraft slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center between floors 93 and 99, erupting in a massive fireball. The fiery wreckage severed access to all three emergency stairwells from the 92nd floor upward, trapping hundreds of people on the upper floors.

    Within minutes, New York City’s 911 system was overwhelmed with calls. Around 8:50 a.m., one of the first recorded 911 calls from inside the North Tower came from 35-year-old Christopher Hanley, who was attending a conference at Windows on the World on the 106th floor.

    “We have smoke and it’s pretty bad,” Hanley told the operator, keeping his composure. “We can’t get down the stairs. We have about 100 people up here.”

    Neither Hanley nor the 911 operator knew a plane had crashed into the tower; they only knew there had been an explosion. Even some who witnessed the impact assumed it was an accident.

    “America today is a fundamentally different country than it was at 8:45 on Tuesday, September 11,” says Graff. “We weren’t a country that had experienced terror attacks like this. No one really understood in those first 17 minutes that this wasn’t an accident.”

    The 911 operator connected Hanley to a fire department dispatcher, who told him to stay where he was and “sit tight.” Hanley’s final words on the call were, “All right, please hurry.”

    Jim Gartenberg’s Live Broadcast from the 86th Floor

    Jim Gartenberg, a real estate executive who had come to the World Trade Center that morning to clear out his desk after accepting a new job, found himself trapped on the 86th floor of the North Tower. After failing to reach his wife, Jill, Gartenberg spoke to a reporter at The New York Times and then went live on a television news broadcast. The anchors initially spoke of him as if he had already evacuated.

    “It’s World Trade Center 1, and it’s not was—I am here and I’m stuck right now,” Gartenberg clarified, remaining remarkably calm. “If I’m on the air, I want to tell anyone who has a family member that may be in the building that the situation is under control for the moment and the danger has not increased. So please, all family members take it easy.”

    Gartenberg never escaped the North Tower, but he was able to speak with Jill one last time, telling her how much he loved her and their 2-year-old daughter, Nicole. Jill was three months pregnant with their second child.

    United Airlines Flight 175: A Father Hears His Son’s Final Moments

    At 8:15 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 took off from Boston, also bound for Los Angeles. Among its 51 passengers were Peter and Sue Hanson and their 2½-year-old daughter, Christine, who were traveling to Disneyland. Five hijackers were aboard. As on Flight 11, they attacked the crew and seized the cockpit.

    Peter Hanson called his father, C. Lee Hanson, to report the hijacking. Neither knew that a plane had already hit the World Trade Center, but Peter had a grim premonition that the hijackers intended to crash the aircraft.

    “Don’t worry, Dad,” Peter said. “If it happens, it will be quick.”

    As father and son spoke, Lee was watching television coverage of the North Tower engulfed in smoke. Suddenly Peter began to mutter, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!” Lee watched in horror as his son’s plane crashed into the South Tower.

    Bryan Sweeney’s Voicemail to His Wife

    Julie Sweeney Roth never spoke directly with her husband, Bryan Sweeney, a former Navy pilot aboard Flight 175. When she arrived home, she discovered a voicemail he had left that morning using a seatback phone.

    “Jules, this is Bryan,” began Sweeney. “Listen, I’m on an airplane that’s been hijacked. If things don’t go well, and it’s not looking good, I just want you to know I absolutely love you. I want you to do good, go have good times. Same to my parents and everybody, and I just totally love you, and I’ll see you when you get there.”

  • Pete Davidson Describes Heartbreaking ‘Holy S***’ Decision as 9/11 Anniversary Approaches

    Pete Davidson Describes Heartbreaking ‘Holy S***’ Decision as 9/11 Anniversary Approaches

    Pete Davidson has shared why the upcoming 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks feels significantly more difficult than in previous years. The comedian, who lost his firefighter father in the World Trade Center collapse, is navigating the milestone while experiencing