Toms River to Mark 25 Years Since 9/11 With Day of Remembrance Ceremony

Toms River to Mark 25 Years Since 9/11 With Day of Remembrance Ceremony

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Ocean County residents will gather Friday morning to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and remember the lives forever changed by the tragedy.

Ocean County officials and Toms River Volunteer Fire Company 1 will host a Day of Remembrance ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday at the September 11 Memorial in the courtyard near 129 Hooper Ave. in Toms River.

The ceremony will honor the 2,977 people killed in the attacks, including 343 firefighters, police officers and emergency medical personnel who died while responding to the World Trade Center.

The remembrance will also have a special connection to Ocean County. Nineteen county residents were among those killed on September 11, 2001.

Twenty-five years later, the impact of the attacks continues to be felt throughout the region. The ceremony will remember not only those who died that morning, but also first responders, military personnel and others who later lost their lives from illnesses linked to their work at Ground Zero and other 9/11-related sites.

Organizers are also recognizing members of the military who were lost during the War on Terror, as well as those who continue to serve in defense of the nation.

The Toms River ceremony is part of a larger day of remembrance taking place across Ocean County and the country. Manchester Township is scheduled to hold its ceremony at 10 a.m., while Brick Township will host a commemoration at 6 p.m.

National ceremonies will also take place at the September 11 Memorial in New York City, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

In New York, the names of those killed in the 2001 attacks will again be read as families, first responders and officials gather to mark the anniversary. The evening will also feature the annual Tribute in Light, with two beams illuminating the sky over Lower Manhattan.

For Toms River and Ocean County, Friday's ceremony offers an opportunity to pause, remember neighbors and loved ones, and ensure that the stories of September 11 remain part of the community's history for generations to come.

The 25th anniversary serves as a solemn reminder that while a quarter-century has passed, the loss experienced on September 11, 2001, continues to shape families, communities and the nation.