Remembering 9/11: Where tragedy left its marks

September 6, 2026 / 9:19 AM EDT / CBS News

There's a fine line between "never forgetting" 9/11, and "always reminding." Too much is distasteful, too little is disrespectful.

You might think after all this time, there's no bell left un-rung, no prayer unsaid, no song that hasn't been sung. After 25 years, the most fitting way we can think of to keep the day close is talking to those who were there.

"You could see flames shooting out of, you know, all sides of the North Tower," said Harry Handler, who was on the 67th floor of the other tower, 2 World Trade Center. "The building made an announcement that said, 'There's been an incident in 1 World Trade Center. If you're in 2 World Trade Center, return to your desks.' I thought, this is just a bad idea."

Seventeen minutes later, a second plane hit his tower. He began leaping down flights of stairs, 12 steps at a time.

And then he stopped. "I ran into a woman who was leaning against the bannister having an asthma attack," Handler said. "I said, 'Well, let me take you down.' She took my arm. Even though she was breathing heavily…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/