In New York City, a somber ceremony marked the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Relatives of victims killed at the World Trade Center gathered at ground zero Thursday to hear the names of their loved ones and the words of elected officials.
"We come each year to stand alongside those who loved and lost the most, to bear witness to the day which began like any other, and ended as none ever has," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday morning.
NPR's Robert Smith talks with Steve Inskeep about the ceremony across from ground zero, where construction is under way on a memorial, museums and new buildings. People in the crowd say the day is still fresh in their memories.
"When I talk to family members, they say each anniversary has been different. At first it was about recovery of remains, then it was about grieving, and now this year, a lot of people are talking about keeping memories alive of their loved ones," Smith says. "Family members are sharing what they still remember."
The ceremony started with three siblings whose father died Sept. 11 talking about how few memories they have of him and how they wish they had more, he says.
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