Transcripts For WCAU Today 20160911

My hometown of new jersey lost 12 people. Ill head home to spend time with my nextdoor neighbor who lost her mom and a great family friend that lost his dad. My mom was able to speak to him on the phone. We actually were able to recover him and bring him home. The thought that a lot of people didnt get that. You got his wedding ring, right . Actually, im wearing it. Youre wearing it. Which is actually really nice. Thats incredible. Yeah. That story and harry smith ahead but lets begin at ground zero. Rehema ellis covered the story from downtown 15 years ago and is there again this morning. Rehema, good morning. Reporter good morning, willie. The ceremony here at ground zero will take place amid heavy security. There will be silence and ringing of bells to commemorate each one of the events that happened on that tragic day starting at 8 46 when the first plane struck the north tower and at 9 03 the second plane struck the south tower. At 9 37 a plane hit the pentagon, at 9 59 the south tower fell. At 10 03 a plane crashed in a field in pennsylvania and at 10 28 the north tower fell. In addition, there will be what has become the conditional and solum reading of all of the names of those who died 15 years ago here today and the president will observe a moment of silence, willie and he will also then attend a ceremony at the pentagon, willie . Amazing how those times are sere in our memory. On a personal note, as i mentioned, you were down there and covered that day, you covered the weeks afterward. What are your thoughts this morning . Reporter one of the things i remember, it was a bright shiny september day, and not over cost like this. It was a beautiful brilliant sunny day and then it became dark and ash and soot rained down on everyone as people did what they could to get away from this area. I remember being down here and talking to the First Responders, those who cape running towards the danger hoping they could save someone, anyone and tragically more than 300 of them lost their lives that day. And the area turned into a ghost town. It was painfully side and frightening. I was frightened, too. Look now whats behind me, one World Trade Center 102 stories high is a shining monument in the sky this is an area of renewal and hope and memory and remembrance of those who died 15 years ago, willie. Well said. Rehema ellis, thank you. Turning to the campaign trail. Hillary clinton forced to apologize after saying half of Donald Trumps supporters fit into a quote basket of deplorables. Nbcs Hallie Jackson covering the race for us. Good morning. Reporter good morning, willie. Only a partial apology from Hillary Clinton after she made those comments at a fundraiser friday night. Listen to what she said. You can put half of trumps supporters into what i call the basket of deplorables. [ laughter ] the racist, sexist, homophob homophobic, you name it. Donald trump immediately pounced on what he called her insulting comments tweeting Hillary Clinton just had her 47 moment, referencing those remarks from mitt romney last cycle that made him to some seem out of touch. Trump continuing what a terrible thing clinton said about so many great americans. Clinton released that kind of apology saying she was quote grossly general and said she wouldnt stop calling out bigotry and racism. Its a racial walk back. She didnt apologize for using the word deplorable and went to list the ways the Trump Campaign is deplorable, referencing the attack on the gold star family and the nbc news poll showing the race tightening in several key battles grounds. Well get to that in a second. How are the candidates commemorating 9 11 today . Reporter both will attend the ceremony rehema was talking about. Both are new yorkers and like so Many Americans have steering memories of 9 11. Hallie jackson in washington on the campaign trail for us. Nicole wallace was Communications Director for president george w. Bush and in the white house on september 11th, 2001 and was a Senior Advisor to the mccain president ial campaign. Thanks for coming. I usually watch the show in my pa july mas while paging pancakes for liam. Well make that a tradition, you come in your pajamas. I want to talk about your experience on 9 11. Lets start with the campaign. The basket of deplorables goes into romney and president taoba talking about clinging to guns. Fight to get the cameras inside fundraisers because thats when you hear what the candidates really think of each other. Listen, she said it before. This wasnt a slip of the tongue. She isnt really have a lot of those. She correctly diagnose nod the problem with her statement, she painted with to broad of a brush, but this is how she feels about elements of trumps base. She thinks he has given voice to the deplorable altright. She thinks hes legitimized white supreme. In 2008 he said they get better and cling to guns and religion and Hillary Clinton said i was taken aback by the demeaning remarks president obama made. It was out of touch and people are saying the same thing about her for this one. And president obamas comments were and they hurt him, and this will hurt her ability. You know, there is someone who is a frequent surrogate for her, the only person on her side to focus attacks directly on trump. She can take a page out of his playbook and understand shes not running against donald trump supporters. She needs to convert those to her cause. These comments do not help herohe herohewin tight states where this is much tighter than the clinton camp would like. Halle referenced the polls. Arizonafe arizona effectively tied and New Hampshire 41, and 42. Is this race, nicole, tighter than a lot of people think . Listen, ive went into a storm off into the sea on weekends and picks up strength and comes back. Hes baring down on her. I want to talk about your experience on 9 11. Few people had the seat you had. You were in the white house when it happened. What was it like that day . We had our meeting at 8 00 and at 8 30 i was watching the today show. I could not look away. The secret Service Agents went through our offices and evacuated us and one of my Staff Members refused to leave and i said get up and go and the agents looked at the women and said take after your shoes and run. We went running from the white house reluctantly. I remember calling my dad. He said where are you going . I said running. He said where . I said they told us to run for our lives. My whole staff went to my apartment and worked from home but we got the message the president expected us back at our desk at 7 00 the next morning to get to work. And you were there. We were there. Thanks for sharing your reflections. Well see you next time in your pjs and slippers. With pancakes. Around three dozen people were taken to the hospital when multiple floors of a deck collapsed during an off Campus House Party near trinity college. The house was packed with students. Authorities saying it was a mir rick l nobody was hurt. A woman famously kissed by a sailor died at 92. She was a 21yearold dental assistant when she was grabbed and kissed on august 14th, 1945. The photo became one of the most enduring images representing the end of world war ii, although ms. Freedman said quote, wasnt much of a kiss. And Central Michigan pulled off a controversial win over Oklahoma State on saturday on a wild play that should not have been. A hail mary on an untimed down gave them a 3027 win. Look at the catch, the toss, the run and the dive into the end zone. But the play never should have happened because Central Michigan had been flagged for intentional grounding on the previous play, a penalty that should have ended the game giving Oklahoma State the win. Officials admitted giving Central Michigan one more down was a mistake. The nfl season kicks off today with a sports world divided over San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his decision not to stand for the national anthem. Its his protest he says in the way African Americans are mistreated. Saturday the seahawks will make a Statement Today standing together with arms linked before their game with the dolphins matt lawyer sat down and talked about the controversy. In a league where the players are mostly african american, do you want the league to take a leading role in bringing attention to the issues like Colin Kaepernick is bringing attention to . Our history is we do. We play a role in society. An Important Role in society. Were careful about that. We believe at the bottom people come to enjoy the sport and game but they recognize the importance that the nfl plays in our society and we have to be responsible for that. Its an Important Role and its one of the things we spend an awful lot of time focussing on. Are you proud of Colin Kaepernick for taking the stand . Look, i support our players speaking out on issues that need to be changed in society. We dont live a perfect society, matt. Our players have strong views about things. So i support our players speaking out against that. But thats what the focus should be on, the changes he wants to see in the society. Right, but are you proud or does it make you nervous . I think when our players speak out and feel strongly and passionate about something, i think its a good thing for us. What i do believe, though, is the respect for our country, the people who fought for those freedoms and values, the people who protect us here and abroad, those are very important and were very youre going to see on sunday. Were a patriotic league. Sunday, by the way, is the 15th anniversary of the attacks of 9 11, a heightened sense of patriotism, is it going to be more difficult to see if players neal or sit . I dont think so. They have rights and we have to respect that. You may know that youre also in the headlines for some other reasons. Tom brady is going to sit out. Suspension as a result of what we call deflategate. Can you look me in the eye and tell me as the commissioner of the nfl that you fell 100 certain that you got this right . Yes, because we went through a very exhausting process with this. We had an independent investigation. We had federal judge who ruled against it. It went to an appeal et court. They said its compelling, not overwhelming here. There is no question the destruction of evidence should be considered by the commissioner in the context of this and that the process was properly followed. We collectively bargained a process for discipline. We went through and that i cant think of an issue more litigated, by the way. You think from one of the mar marquee players of the game, fourgame suspension is fair . Every player, every team is subject. We dont have rules for marqee players and teams. You can catch the patriots and cardinals tonight at 9 00 p. M. Here on nbc excuse me, 7 00 p. M. The pregame starts and you can see more of matts interview this wednesday on today. Dylan dreyer has a look at the weather. Hello. Hey, are you excited for the game tonight . Im excited. Im a giants fan so im excited for 4 00. That makes sense. Lets take a look at the weather. Its actually going to turn into a very nice stretch of days. Its been very humid but we have an area of High Pressure that is going to dry things out and lose the humidity and see much more comfortable temperatures. Look at chicago right now 54 degrees, almost chilly out there and same in minneapolis, columbus, ohio in the 50s and back behind this cold front that will trigger showers and storms this morning across new england. Heavy storms move through albany. Well start to see everything clear out, though, as that cold front moves eastward and temperatures will be in the 70s most of this week up good morning. Im first alert meteorologist krystal klei. Here is a look at your neighborhoods today. Drier conditions, so humidity not a problem and temperatures are lower, 85 in somerton, lansdale the same, coats town 80 degrees the forecast temperature. In new jersey 83, in trenton, Atlantic City also at 83 degrees also Rehoboth Beach and 86 that forecast temperature in smyrna. The humidity dropping so today should be a nicer day. Enjoy that eagles game this afternoon. Comfy chairs. Right . About you . How do you feel about the patriots . I think garoppolo will do fine. Its going to be a hard four games without brady because i think hell do fine. Hes got a good team. Huge patriots fan. I like tom brady because hes so cute. So cute. To your fire, i dont know. Hes good for the numbers. They will stick around for the highs and lows of the week including the president ial candidate that had us asking the question, what is aleppo . Plus, the homecoming for the flag that disappeared during the cleanup of ground zero after the attacks. Well tell you where its been and later, the families of First Responders that died on 9 11 signing up to be gary, gary, gary. I am proud of you, my man. Making simple, smart cash back choices. With quicksilver from capital one. Youre earning unlimited 1. 5 cash back on every purchase, everywhere. Like on that new laptop. Quicksilver keeps things simple, gary. 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Once you take that leap, thats where the magic happens. Our buddies, dylan and nicole back with us. One of the proud american symbols of 9 11 returned back home. The flag raised by three firefighters disappeared after this photograph was taken by Thomas Franklin but police began an investigation about two years ago when a man dropped off a flag in a fire station in washington, 3,000 miles from manhattan. He was a marine that serve in iraq and was given a flag. When he heard on tv the flag was missing, he asked the firefighters to return it to new york city. After a forensic investigation, it was determined this is likely the right thing. This week a group of Everett Police officers traveled to new york to participate in a ceremony at National September 11th memorial and museum where that flag will now remain. Isnt that incredible . He was watching a documentary on the History Channel and heard they were looking for the flag and said ive got the flag. The fact it made it all the way there and back. Anonymously dropped at a fire station. Nothing like images like that. Its nice to keep that together. The first low goes to president ial candidate gary johnson as he attempts to climb to the magic 15 polling threshold to get on the debate stage with Hillary Clinton and donald trump in a couple weeks. He did not help himself on an interview on morning joe when he was asked about the city of aleppo in syria. What would you do if you were elected about aleppo, about aleppo. And what is aleppo . Youre kidding . No. Aleppo is in syria. Its the epicenter of the refugee crisis okay. Got it. Got it. If you think that was tough to watch, johnson said quote, i feel horrible. I have got to get smarter. You were sitting there. You cant help but feel bad yeah. This divided people because a lot of people felt sorry for him to be caught in the moment. It was like katie couric, sarah palin as someone that wants to be president of the country, you should know where children are being hurt and killed. Its on the front page of the newspaper every day. The next high, a Florida State University Star receiver travis rudolph. On a visit to a middle school, travis saw an 11yearold u autistic boy eating alone and he sat down and ate with him. They are best pals now. Travis sis surprised beau with the w his own jersey. Travis scored a touchdown at game and Florida State came back to win the game. That officially makes beau the good luck charm. I love that story. We went to school that one day, he had lunch, sat there and his whole life was going to change from that point on. Its incredible. His mother said he became much more popular in the lunchroom. Kindness. The next low, apples hotly anticipated new product seeming terrible but well own it in the next six weeks. Apple unveiled the iphone 7. More sophisticated camera and no jack for the headphones. Now apple informed us were all wearing wireless individual air pods to listen to music and talk on the phones. Critics like the slim new phone but worry about the ipods, chances of you losing them on day one at 93 . Another thing i got to keep track of. Im not going there. I lose the ones with the wire immediately. Youre hopeless. The next, the mom that struggled on donuts with dads day. She was dropping off 12yearold elijah when she noticed a lot of cars and dads at school. Elijah said it was donuts for dads day and she sprung into action. They raced home and put together a dad getup with fake mustache, fake shirt and dab of cologne like that elijah had a wing man for donuts with dad day. Evette posted these saying she seen the sad look on her sons face when father son events pops up. She heard from Single Parents all over the world this week. And instead of another low, its do a bonus high this morning. What could be higher than two people in love dancing like no one is watching . In this case, its bert and carol, an america canouple. He walked into a restaurant and said is there any way we can just order water . Were just here to dance. You want to smile, watch the entire thing on youtube. Uptown funk. He asked the wait stress ress t the couple. Those moves will have their own video game by the end of the week. Absolutely. Acoustic version of uptown funk. Spot on. Coming up next on sunday today a visit to my hometown on th i had a wonderful time tonight. Me too call me tomorrow . Im gonna send a vague text in a couple of days, that leaves you confused about my level of interest. Ill wait a full two days before responding. Perfect were never gonna see each other again, will we . Nono. Wouldnt it be great if everyone said what they meant . The citi double cash card does. It lets you earn double cash back. 1 when you buy and 1 as you pay. The citi double cash card. Double means double. Honey nut cheerios get their delicious taste from honest ingredients. Like real delicious honey, and real oats. Ok thats still honey. Ahhh, there we go. Were back to honey again. Whos directing this . That guy, figures. Introducing tiny toast. The tiny cereal with the big taste of real fruit. Good sunday morning, im rosemary connors, its just a few minutes before 8 30. Lets get a check of our forecast, our game day forecast, with first alert meteorologist krystal klei. Rosemary, its a good one. Looking at temperatures right now that are a little warmer point in the morning, but the good news is we are not going to see an extreme heat bin the afternoon. We are at 80 in philadelphia currently, 79 in parts of the pennsylvania suburbs, new jersey as well and 78 the lehigh valley, upper 70s through delaware. The forecast high temperatures way different than yesterday, 86 in philadelphia, so if you will be at the game, mid 80s for you should be pretty nice. Mid 80s through the suburbs, new jersey as well as into the lehigh valley, those lower 80s, we will see clouds shifting to more sun later today. Ceremonies marking the 15th anniversary of 9 11 are happening all around our region this morning. The philadelphia fire department, Police Department and First Responders will be honoring the fallen at 9 30 in old city. They will gather at the Firemans Hall museum on Second Street and march to the betsy ross house around the corner for the remembrance ceremony. Hundreds of runners will hit the streets in norristown in 30 minutes to honor the victims of 9 11, they will take part in the Travis Manion 5k race, Travis Manion was killed in 2007 in iraq, proceeds help the foundation that bears his name as well as the montgomery counu hero fund. Today a Memorial Ceremony will be held in pennsauken to mark 9 11. Thousands of flags have already been placed out here in the area. We will be back here at 9 00 for a full hour of news. 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Saturday night live is one of the great new york city institutions, and thats why its important for you to do your show tonight. Can we be funny . [ laughter ] why start now . [ laughter ] that was new york mayor Rudy Giuliani flanked by the finest and bravest Opening Saturday night live on september 29th, 2001. And giving the country permission to laugh. It was the first snl after the attacks of 9 11. Those attacks killed nearly 3,000 innocent people from the World Trade Center to the pentagon to a field in shanksville, pennsylvania. 12 of those victims lived in ridge wood, new jersey, my hometown. To the world they were numbers in a staggering death toll that meant america was going to war. But to the residents of a town of 25,000 people, they were family and friends who suddenly and inexplicably were not coming home. 15 years on, i went back home to visit old friends, one who lost his dad, another who lost her mom. Lorrie steinberg was the first kid i met when i moved from chicago to new jersey half way through kindergarten. She lived next door. This was the cut through. I went to her house for piano lessons. We were not good. Not at all. We werent that dedicated to the cause. Not that, either. Nope, we really werent. Her moms big laugh would carry across the yard to our house. I was actually talking to my dad this morning and he said he could sit inside his house, closed doors, closed windows and hear your moms laugh. He was like she had the best laugh. Lorries parents were rarely seen apart because they were rarely apart. They met as kids in poland, reunited and fell in love in brooklyn. Moved to ridgewood, new jersey to raise their family and carpooled together early every morning into new yorks financial district where they worked. She was unbelievable. She was up early, drove into the city with my dad, worked a full day and would come homefor er r. Since 2001 lorrie moved out of the house and moved to the city. She could see the twin towers from her street. By the time i went outside, the towers i saw were on fire, you know. They hadnt fallen yet. They were still there but they were on fire. Fires that could be seen 25 miles away in ridgewood where residents gathered at the view. It seemed like everyone in town knew someone in the towers. But back in manhattan, lorrie was focused on only one person, her mom. I started calling her office phone, and i started calling her cell phone. There was never, never an answer to either one, and so went through sort of like an ark of emotions of being like okay, the north tower got hit. I hope she works i didnt actually know which building she worked in. You didnt know which one . No, she loved the fact she worked on the 96th floor, so i knew that and she loved it because she was above the cloud line. The 96th floor, the middle of the impact zone of American Airlines flight 11. Just four stories below ginas office was another of my neighbors and family friends, 44yearold john trapped by the impact but able to call home. My mom had been in phone contact with my dad throughout the morning, and i actually the phone was over there and i picked up and, you know, he could hear my voice and saying my name on the line and i didnt really get to speak to him. You could hear sirens and that was the last phone call that had come through. Johnny was just 14 years old that day. In his first week of high school. His Little Sisters janie and molly were 9 and 5. Their dad a fixture around town. I talked to some people before i came over, just what i remember of your dad and the one thing everyone said is he was there. He was at everything. He worked at the city and able to get out aftermarket close at 4 00 or 4 30 and would be home at 5 30 or 6 00. He was killed with 68 coworkers. His body was found about two weeks later. As terrible it was that we were in this position we were in, we kind of got lucky with everything and how it played out that my mom was able to speak to him on the phone and we were able to recover him and bring him home and the thought that a lot of people didnt get that. You got his wedding ring, right . Actually, im wearing it. Wow. Yeah, which is actually really nice. Thats incredible. Yeah. The kid i used to baby sit is now married with a daughter named marlo and another on the way with wife mallory. He followed his dad into finance. Johnny credits his big family with getting him here. My two uncles, they really made it clear that look, this is happened but were getting back to normal life. This isnt going to be the defining factor for you of the rest of your life. Things are going to go on from here. A National Tragedy to most of us, but a very personal one for lorrie and johnny. They feel it in big ways on big days, and in small ways every day. If i see someone and say goodbye, i wonder is that the last time ill see them, which i think is just because of what ive been through. How has it changed you . I mean, theres like a responsiveness to phone calls that i think i and my family have and that maybe not everybody has. Like phone calls from my dad and my sister dont generally go unanswered. Lorrie now works in a field similar to her moms. And shes a doting aunt to her sister julies young children. Do you talk to your mom when babies are born and family milestones. No, we dont do a lot of talking about my mom. I talk about my mom with other people. I did not spend a lot of time talking about my mother and remanencing with my immediate family. Reminiscing still can be too painful. My sister jane and i kind of talk about it once in awhile usually after a couple glasses of wine, pick each others brains and i havent done that with mol yet. I dont know how she feels about it or if she would want to talk about it. I dont know what she remembers, if anything. With a small memorial at the center of town, ridgewood remembers the day that altered johnny and lorries lives forever. Jon and ginas names listed with ten others that kissed their families and went to work. Jon was a huge bruce springstene fan, another trait he passed on. Springstene got word of this and personally autographed to each of them a program from jons memorial service. Jons daughter jane had a birthday about two weeks after 9 11. Bruce sent her flowers. Meanwhile, lorrie says the lose of her mother brought her closer than ever to her dad who since has remarried and im happy to report my old kindergarten pal still has the loudest laugh in the tristate area. I guess she got it from her mom. How proud they would be today. Next on sunday today following in the footsteps, First Responders living up to the legacy of their relatives, the heroes of 9 11 after this break d your local weather. An good morning, im meteorologist krystal klei. Here is a look at your neighborhoods today. Drier conditions, humidity not a problem. 85 somerton, lansdale the same. In new jersey 83, in trenton, Atlantic City also at 83 degrees as well as Rehoboth Beach and 86 that forecast temperature in smyrna. The humidity dropping so today should be a nicer day. Go ahead and enjoy the eagles game in afternoon. Arf, you sent a thank you note. N. And the crochet just kept on coming. Well, at carmax, you dont have to return the favor. Theyll buy your car even if you dont buy a car from them. Because feeling obligated is uncomfortable. And tight. In places it shouldnt be. Carmax wont make you feel that way. Lucky you. I feel like a quilt. Nomy favorite parted adjustable base, is to be able to lift your legs up a little bit, and it feels like im just cradled. Change your sleep, change your life. Change to tempurpedic. 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Thats what im talking about cindy. I like your style. Now get up to 35 off appliances 396 or more, at lowes. More than 400 First Responders died on 9 11. The best of america on its worst day. Men and women that rushed into burning buildings to save strangers. As Stephanie Gosk explains. Their own families into service. Reporter the country wouldnt be the same but on the anniversary we are reminded that for thousands the National Tragedy was also a personal one. Their lives wouldnt be the same, either. Nypd officer joe was just 12 years old at the time, a sixth grader. You didnt necessarily want to be a police officer. I wanted to grow up and play baseball, you know. Like any teenager. Exactly. That changed when his beloved ankle, george leehy who used to dress up to scare kids on halloween ran into tower one. Tell the boys im fine, everything is okay. Two planes hit the building. I should be out shortly. Not far away George Howard who actually had the day off ran in to help. His son christopher was 18 years old. I went to my grandmothers house around 2 30 and she said we cant find him. Howard and leehy were two of new york citys First Responders to die that day, 23 from the Police Department, 337 from the Port Authority police and 343 from the fire department. Everyone went there that day with the idea they would get everyone out of the building. Thats why they went in and up. Nobody said were not going to be able to do this. That commitment to help others was in large part the inspiration for both hof them t follow in the footsteps of men they loved dearly. He put others before himself. You work in the same precinct as your you canal. I wanted to go to the sixth precinct. Why. I wanted to work the same place he did. He got along with everybody and everybody loved him. Everybody said how much of an honor it was for me to work there. For howard, it was fulfilling the lifelong dream. My dad always wanted to be a fireman. The year after 9 11, howard had a chance to be a firefighter himself. His fathers friends there to guide him. They were all firemen and saying the same thing, you got to take that job. Its the best job its the greatest job in the world and youre never going to look back. On my helmet i keep a sticker for my dad. For both men, their chosen profession can trigger painful memories. You meet a bunch of different guys along the way that worked with my dad. One guy was with my dad that survived. Your dad ran this way and i ran that way and we never saw him again. For howard, every anniversary is retelling his fathers story. His name and bang made famous by george w. Bush. It is a Police Shield of a man named George Howard who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others. Makes me more and more proud to share my fathers story so he doesnt get forgotten, nobody gets forgotten because that day shaped where we are today as a nation. The same way their lives were shaped by their loss. He gave his life on one of the most important days in america, in american history. I feel like i have big shoes to fill living up to his name and legacy. I just want to make my dad proud, you know, i want to live my life the way i think he would have wanted me to live it and never do anything that tarnishes his name. Stephanie gosk reporting on this 15th anniversary of 9 11, a solum remembrance ceremony set to begin a few miles from here in lower manhattan. A moment of silence and the reading of names that died. It will be followed by moments of silence and in shanksville, pennsylvania. Well pause now to allow other stations to join us for this special report remembering september 11th. This is an nbc news special report, here is willie geist. Welcome to this nbc news special report, remembering september 11th. Im willie geist 15 years ago today a dark day in american history. Two planes slamming into the twin towers here in new york. Another into the pentagon and a fourth into a field in shanksville, pennsylvania. Today the country pauses to remember the nearly 3,000 people who died on 9 11. Rehema ellis is near ground zero for us. Rehema, that moment of silence about to begin. Reporter it is. Following that as the ceremony is underway, there will be a solum tradition of the reading of the names of those nearly 3,000 people who died on this dark day, 15 years ago. As you point out, that moment of silence will commemorate when the planes struck at ground zero, the pentagon and shanksville, pennsylvania. Willie. Thank you very much. Lets pause now for the moment of silence. [bell ringing] good morning. My dad vincent worked in the north tower. Remembering back to the horrible day 15 years ago that changed my life, i was 10 years old. My brothers was 8, 7 and 5. Today im proud to be here to m mennize my father. This gaves me the chance to think about beautiful memories like Christmas Eve when dad took my brothers and i to work to give mom a break. On 9 11 the nation came together. People really tried to help us. I spent endless summers at a camp for kids that lost family members on 9 11. The counselors helped us to laugh and have fun, to let us know we were not alone. This summer i had the privilege of working with kids that had their own horrific loss, kids from sandy hook and i got to be the one to care for them when they needed it. These kids lifted me up and made me know i wanted to get back as much as i can. Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us on a path to where we should be going, to help others as many have helped me. Ps, i love you dad. [ applause ] jerry deamado talking act his father that died. 8 46 marking the moment the first plane hit the north tower, 17 minutes later American Airlines flight 175 hit the south tower. This has been a special report on the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks of september 11th. Im willie geist in new york. Sunday today will continue in a moment. For others, well now continue to your regularly scheduled program. Were back with sunday today, coming up next, harry smith with a remembrance, where hmmmmmm. Hmmmmm. [ dreams by beck ] hmmmmm. The turbocharged dream machine. The Volkswagen Golf gti. Named one of car and drivers 10best, 10 years in a row. You may be muddling through allergies. Oned with. Try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. And zyrtec® is different than claritin®. Because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. Try zyrtec®. Muddle no more®. In many ways, the memories of the morning of tuesday, september 11th, 2001, are as fresh as if they happened yesterday. We all know exactly where we were, who we were with, and how we felt. But 15 years is a long time. The country and the world have changed. Harry smith on the road weve traveled since 9 11. 9 11, on a Crystal Clear morning 15 years ago, we woke up to images we will never forget. How is it an incident so sered in our memory can seem to have happened yesterday and at the same time in some distant past . For days, we couldnt look away. We were glued to the coverage. The stories of those lost, the ha harrow wisdom of the first re responders and heroes of ordinary people. Grieved and we grieved. The why and the how rattled our nerves. Destroyed our sense of security. The dots became clear but why were they not connected. We have planes for awhile, we as a people were united in a way we havent been since world war ii. And the world felt as we did, there was comfort in knowing we were not alone. When the First Anniversary came, we relived it all. The wounds both physical and psychic were still fresh. Kathryn fantis. We listened to the names read by loved ones and wept again as we had the year before. We did the same the next year but less so over time. And that solidarity we were so proud of it, splintered apart as the war in iraq began. The dictator of iraq and weapons of mass destruction are a threat to the security of free nations. The danger from baghdad had been over sold, we as a people were under prepared for what unfolded thereafter. Chaos and conflict and more american lives lost. Many lives just what had we gotten into . Time doesnt heal all wounds, and there really is no such thing as closure. But we do move on except for those directly affected. 9 11 is quickly becoming history. The stuff from archives, something that happened to someone else. Harry smith reporting for us on this 15th anniversary of 9 11. Well be right back. 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Fees they collect, even if the market crashes and. Seniors lose everything. Pat toomeys looking out for wall street, not pennsylvania. Dscc is responsible for the content of this advertising. 15 years later this morning the country reflects and remembers the lives lost during the terrorist attacks on sep jth11th. Communities around our region are honoring the victims and survivors to show the world we will never forget. We will tell you how you can participate and pay tribute. The eagles are about to kick off a new season with a new quarterback but is rookie carson wentz ready to fly . We will hear from him straight ahead. Good morning, this is nbc 10 news today. Im rosemary connors, its 9 00 on this sunday. Big day for the birds. So lets get right to that forecast. Meteorologist krystal klei has our game day weather. Perfect football weather. Absolutely. So we