“More than 20 years after the disaster, these two new identifications continue to fulfill a solemn pledge,” said Dr. Jason Graham, the medical examiner. “Faced with the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of our country, we stand undaunted in our mission to use the latest advances in science to serve this promise.”
The names of the victims, one man and one woman, were withheld because of their families’ wishes. More than 1,100 people — around 40 percent of those who died — remain unidentified, the mayor’s office said.
There were events across New York City Monday to honor the anniversary, including vigils and speeches. At the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, more than 1,500 volunteers packaged jambalaya to be sent to local food pantries.
The effort was part of an initiative called “9/11 Day” that aimed to transform Sept. 11 from a day of tragedy to one of service. A co-founder, Jay Winuk, lost his brother, Glenn, in the attacks.
Glenn Winuk was a volunteer firefighter who was at home getting ready for work at Holland & Knight, the law firm where he was a partner, when he saw the first plane hit the North Tower on television. He ran to the scene, where he died trying to help evacuate his firm’s offices in the South Tower.
“For me, personally, it’s cathartic,” Jay Winuk, 65, said of the service day he helped create. “It’s a great tradition to hand off to the next generation, which is so important to us, because 100 million people in this country weren’t even born when 9/11 happened.”
Lola Fadulu contributed reporting.
