Never Forget: Front Royal Marks 25 Years Since 9/11 — A Time to Gather, Reflect and Pass It On

September 11, 2026, marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks that killed 2,977 people and changed the country forever.

For those old enough to remember that morning, 25 years can seem impossible.

They remember where they were when they heard the news. They remember watching the television. They remember calling family members, checking on friends and trying to understand what was happening.

But for anyone younger than 25, Sept. 11, 2001, is history.

They know the images and may have studied the attacks in school, but they did not experience the fear, confusion, and grief of that day — or the remarkable sense of community that followed.

That makes this anniversary not only a time to remember but also to share those memories with the next generation.

Here in Front Royal, residents will have an opportunity to do that together.

A 25th anniversary remembrance will be held at the Gazebo on Main Street on Friday, Sept. 11, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The gathering will provide a solemn time of reflection and remembrance for those who lost their lives.

Families, friends, children, and young people are encouraged to attend.

For younger generations, a community observance can make a historical event feel more real. It gives them an opportunity to listen, ask questions, and better understand why the words “Never Forget” have carried such meaning for the past quarter-century.

At 8:46 a.m., the time American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, communities around the country traditionally pause to remember.

Other observances may include moments of silence, lowered flags, and the ringing of bells.

Talk to the Next Generation

Parents and grandparents do not need to give children a history lecture to help them understand 9/11.

Start with a conversation.

Ask what they already know and what questions they have. Keep the discussion appropriate for their age, especially with younger children.

Then share your own memories.

Where were you when you first heard?

Who were you with?

What did you do?

What do you remember most clearly about that morning and the days that followed?

Personal stories can help young people understand history in a way that dates and statistics cannot.

If your family knew someone who was killed, injured, or otherwise directly affected by the attacks, tell that person’s story.

Remember who they were beyond Sept. 11 — their family, work, interests, humor, and the ordinary things that made their life meaningful.

The 2,977 people killed that day were not simply a number in a history book. Each left behind people who loved them.

Remember How People Responded

There is another part of the story worth passing along.

In the hours and days after the attacks, first responders rushed toward danger while countless ordinary people found ways to help.

Strangers assisted strangers. People donated blood, delivered food and supplies, raised money and comforted grieving families.

Communities gathered.

Those memories of courage and service are also part of what September 11 means.

That spirit continues through the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

People can mark the anniversary by volunteering, helping a neighbor, collecting food or clothing, cleaning a community space, planting a tree, or supporting organizations that assist first responders, survivors, and others who continue to live with health effects connected to 9/11.

Acts of remembrance do not have to be large.

They can begin with showing up.

For Front Royal and Warren County residents, that can mean gathering at the Gazebo on Main Street between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 11.

Bring your children.

Bring your grandchildren.

Tell them what you remember.

Listen to what others remember.

Twenty-five years later, there are now adults who were not yet born when the attacks happened. As more time passes, fewer people will have firsthand memories to share.

That makes telling the story increasingly important.

Remember those who died. Honor those who responded. Help those who still carry the effects of that day.

And teach the next generation why, 25 years later, we still say:

Never Forget.