Twenty-three years on, the ritual endures.

On Wednesday, as every year, the names of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the 2001 terror attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing were read aloud by family members at a ceremony in Lower Manhattan.

Loved ones young and old were joined by various dignitaries, including President Joe Biden and, notably, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, who exchanged brief pleasantries.

The day, by design, is not for politics or speech-making, but for remembering: a day to honor the fallen.

“This ceremony is essential," one speaker said. “Because that day he disappeared, but if I come here and I speak his name out loud and you hear his name, he will never, never disappear.” 

For many, the grief remains raw, even as an entire generation has now been born and raised with little or no memory of the events of the day or of their lost relatives.

“I am 12 years old, so I never met my uncle Kenny. But I feel like I know him from my parents, grandparents and family members,” one young speaker said.

“Dad, we only got six years together, but I have nothing but the happiest memories. And every day, I remember how lucky and how proud I am to be your daughter,” another speaker added.

There are traditions — the ringing of bells, moments of silence and another now-common ritual: family members leaving flags, flowers and other mementos in the panels that surround the 9/11 Memorial’s twin pools. 

And a now-common theme among younger family members is the bond they feel with lost relatives they never met, but often seek to emulate.

“My grandfather, Edward Calderon. Papa, I never met you. But from the stories I’ve heard, I feel like you're my best friend,” one speaker said.

“As I follow your footsteps, hoping to become a firefighter just like you, I can’t wait to become closer to you than ever,” another added. “We all miss you so much. We love you.”

At dusk, the Tribute in Light will begin, featuring two beams of blue light that can reach up to four miles into the sky, marking the location where the Twin Towers once stood. The lights will remain on through dawn on Thursday.