Congressman George Latimer urges Mount Vernon to remember the individual lives lost on 9/11

Congressman George Latimer told attendees that the most important element of the 9/11 anniversary is the individual stories of those who died. "The story is the individual lives of each of those people," he said, urging Mount Vernon to keep the memories of local victims alive rather than treating the toll as only a number.

Latimer framed the day as a unifying moment across faiths, races and politics and called on residents to carry that unity forward. He thanked first responders and asked the community to support families who continue to live with loss and 9/11‑related illnesses.