Published: TUESDAY September 1, 2026: '9/11 - 25 Years Later' by ZUMA Press award winning photo-journalist Randy Taylor: The 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks marks a significant quarter-century milestone in American history. The year 2026 brings a profound wave of remembrance, major national commemorations honoring the 2,977 lives lost and the enduring resilience of the survivors. Randy Taylor was one of the first people on the scene at 'ground zero' and captured a powerful set of images. ''We were the first to arrive on the West side of what would later be known as ''ground zero''. What we could see was horrific.. entire fire trucks were thrown against the walls of buildings, like toys. I pulled my shirt over my face to try to filter what I was breathing. I never returned until some visiting guests wanted to go to the museum at Ground Zero. Now, twenty years later, I've dug out the archive and am looking at my photos of that fateful day, and reliving the shock of it all.'' Tuesday September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, 2,763 died after two planes slammed into the twin towers. Among them 343 heroic firefighters and paramedics, 23 brave New York City police officers as well as 37 courageous Port Authority police officers. All of whom lost their lives trying to save others. Welcome to '9/11 - 25 Years Later'
© zReportage.com Issue #1053 Story of the Week: Published: TUESDAY September 1, 2026: '9/11 - 25 Years Later' by ZUMA Press award winning photo-journalist Randy Taylor: The 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks marks a significant quarter-century milestone in American history. The year 2026 brings a profound wave of remembrance, major national commemorations honoring the 2,977 lives lost and the enduring resilience of the survivors. Randy Taylor was one of the first people on the scene at 'ground zero' and captured a powerful set of images. ''We were the first to arrive on the West side of what would later be known as ''ground zero''. What we could see was horrific.. entire fire trucks were thrown against the walls of buildings, like toys. I pulled my shirt over my face to try to filter what I was breathing. I never returned until some visiting guests wanted to go to the museum at Ground Zero. Now, twenty years later, I've dug out the archive and am looking at my photos of that fateful day, and reliving the shock of it all.'' Tuesday September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, 2,763 died after two planes slammed into the twin towers. Among them 343 heroic firefighters and paramedics, 23 brave New York City police officers as well as 37 courageous Port Authority police officers. All of whom lost their lives trying to save others. Welcome to '9/11 - 25 Years Later'
The World Trade Center twin towers at sunset. The World Trade Center twin towers began their vertical climb in 1968. The North Tower was completed first in December 1970, followed by the South Tower in July 1971. More than 425,000 cubic yards of concrete were required to construct the World Trade Center, enough to pave a sidewalk from New York City to Washington, D.C.
© Scott Mc Kiernan/ZUMA Press Wire
A man looks out his apartment window just minutes before WTC Tower Two collapses in the morning of September 11, 2001 after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses at 9:59am, 56 minutes after the impact of Flight 175.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
US Flags wave on Fifth Avenue as WTC Tower Two burns in the morning after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
US Flags wave on Fifth Avenue as WTC Tower Two burns in the morning after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Birds fly as WTC Tower Two or South Tower collapses at 9.59am in the morning after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
New Yorkers run from the fast moving wall of dust and debris as the second tower collapses on the morning of September 11, 2001 after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
The first people to arrive after the collapse of the second tower are New York Fire Department firemen at around 10.20am in the morning just 20 minutes after the last tower (WTC Tower One) collapsed.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
The first people to arrive after the collapse of the second tower are New York Fire Department firemen after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Under a foreboding blackened morning sky, the first people to arrive after the collapse of the second tower are New York Fire Department firemen after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
A lone New York Fire Department fireman stands atop of the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed WTC tower after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Amid twisted metal and rubble, New York Fire Department firemen climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed WTC tower in the afternoon after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Amid twisted metal and rubble, New York Fire Department firemen climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed WTC tower in the afternoon after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
NYC Fire Department firemen struggle to cross a street where the Marriott Hotel and the second tower collapsed after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
New York Fire Department firemen check oxygen breathing equipment and prepare to climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and WTC Tower Two in the afternoon, after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Dust and smoke fill the air as New York Fire Department firemen climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the remains of the second WTC tower in the afternoon, just hours after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Dust and trash cover a bike and poster for NYC council election at 'ground zero.' 9/11 was election day for New York City, the Mayoral Primary, as well as the day of the attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
A dazed businessman covered in dust and still clutching his belonging's and a flashlight walks past fireman during the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
An emergency oxygen tank and breathing gear of a NYC fireman lies covered in dust and office papers in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
New Yorkers help wash the face of a dust covered survivor as they exit ''ground zero'' after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
A statue of a businessman stands covered in thick dust in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
A NYC fireman stands near a dust covered gurney and ambulance at 'ground zero' in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
NYFD Firemen covered in dust from the collapsed twin towers, are exhausted after rescue efforts in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Thick dust fills the air as NYC firemen walk though piles of trash and office papers scattered in the streets during the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Smoke fills the air as New York Fire Department firemen climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and second collapsed WTC tower during the search for survivors after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
A New York Fire Department firemen pushes through water in the street past the twisted metal remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed tower after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Randy Taylor: ''As I exited the subway on September 11th, twenty years ago, everyone was standing in the street by the Flat Iron Building, looking at something. I turned to see smoke billowing from the Twin Towers. Someone said a plane hit the towers, and I knew instantly it was intentional. There were blue skies in all directions and visibility for miles around. I had a camera in the office and a few rolls of film that I grabbed. A co-worker, Evan Frohlich, and I started walking down Fifth Avenue towards the World Trade Center. When we passed Washington Square Park, where the small streets were lined with people watching, tower one collapsed. ''Awesome'', ''Cool'', ''Wow'', ''Oh My God'' were the shouts of spontaneous astonishment and excitement. Within seconds, the crowd of people fell silent as they realized they weren't watching a video game or TV show. This was real. A moment later, a person began to cry. Then another, and another. The enormity of so many people realizing all at once what they had just witnessed was palpable.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
Exhausted firemen return from an attempt to find survivors amongst the remains of the Marriott Hotel at 'ground zero,' after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
New York Fire Department firemen pull a hose to put out small fires in the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed tower after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
New York Fire Department firemen climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second WTC tower to collapse after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
In the search for survivors, New York Fire Department firemen climb the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed WTC tower after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
New York Fire Department firemen carry a rescue basket and rope in hopes of finding survivors amidst the remains of the Marriott Hotel and the second collapsed tower after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
In the afternoon of September 11, a lone NYFD fireman takes a break along side a vehicle that was blown away by the force of the falling towers after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
A New York Fire Department fireman is passed an oxygen tank and breathing apparatus to help protect him from the caustic air that is dense with particles of pulverized glass and dry wall from the collapse of the twin towers after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
NEVER FORGET: On September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, 2,763 died after the two planes slammed into the twin towers, 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings.
© Scott Mc Kiernan/ZUMA Press Wire
Randy G Taylor is a documentary photographer and American photojournalist who photographed images during the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan. Taylor photographed the chaotic scenes of First Responders Arriving At Ground Zero on 9/11. Taylor's photographs captured the rescue efforts and grief among the emergency crews. Taylor's 9/11 photography has been featured across historical archives and media including in Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.
© Randy Taylor/ZUMA Press Wire Service
