25th Anniversary Of 9/11 Remembered By Lee Greenwood, Children Of Victims, And More At Yankees Ballgame
on • Updated
Friday, Sept. 11 marks 25 years since 19 terrorists perpetrated the 9/11 terror attacks that killed 2,977 innocent people.
These attacks — which saw lives claimed at the towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania — reshaped the American way of life, but revealed the nation’s resolve in even the darkest of days.
A quarter-century later, the attacks as well as the heroism of first responders and others continue to be remembered.
As the New York Yankees prepared to face-off against the New York Mets on Sept. 11, several commemorative acts were planned at Yankee Stadium to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
Setting the stage, Yankee Stadium was decorated to recreate the way it looked on the field on Sept. 11, 2001.
See the flashback commemorative style, here:
There was also a patriotic performance given by Lee Greenwood, and a very powerful first pitch made by a married couple who both lost parents in the 9/11 attacks when they were children.
During the National Anthem, which was sung by opera tenor James Valenti, a giant American flag was unfurled in the outfield.
RELATED: The Mesmerizing View Of The 9/11 Memorial Pools That Only A Janitor Gets To See
Lee Greenwood Performs “God Bless The USA”
On hand to contribute a patriotic song which became a radio fixture during the Gulf War — with the song enduring through the years — was country artist Lee Greenwood singing his 1984 hit “God Bless the USA.”
Walking out onto the field, Lee Greenwood prefaced his performance with a dedication, saying, “To the New York Police Department, the New York Fire Department, and first responders, in honor of your service and sacrifice.”
After the attacks of September 11th, @TheLeeGreenwood's hit song “God Bless the U.S.A.” became an anthem uniting a grieving city and nation.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 11, 2026
Prior to Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, Lee Greenwood stood at home plate of the original Yankee Stadium and performed the song as… pic.twitter.com/wYXryU5xZk
Earlier this year, Lee Greenwood gave prominent performances at national ceremonies commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, including the July 4 “Salute To America” in Washington, D.C., which saw him sing before the world’s largest firework show.
RELATED: Trump’s July 4 “Salute To America”
First Pitch Thrown By Grown Children Of 9/11 Victims
Throwing the ceremonial first pitch was Brielle Saracini, as well as her husband, Sean McGuire.
Saracini and McGuire were both 10 years old when their fathers were killed in the 9/11 attacks.
Saracini’s father, Victor, was the captain of United Flight 175, which was hijacked and crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. McGuire’s father, Patrick, worked on the 84th floor of that tower when it was hit.
Two years after the attacks, in 2003, Saracini and McGuire met at a camp that was established to help children who lost parents in 9/11.
On Sept. 9, 2017, Saracini and McGuire got married, with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum noting that she said during her wedding service:
“The biggest takeaway from 9/11 for me was that you might be able to break down steel and structure, but you can never destroy love.”
The MLB notes that Saracini has a unique connection to the Yankees which goes back to the days immediately following the attacks.
Three days after losing her father, 10-year-old Saracini wrote a letter to Yankees player Derek Jeter. Sharing what she and her family had gone through, she noted that her father would’ve wanted her to be able to fulfill her dream of meeting Jeter and the team.
Jeter received this letter, and he invited Saracini and her family to attend a game, with the MLB stating that “enduring friendships” were made that day for Saracini and Jeter, as well as members of the Yankees staff.
Watch Saracini and her husband, McGuire, make the first pitch, here:
Representing the 3,051 children who lost a parent on 9/11 and their families, Brielle Saracini and Sean McGuire threw out tonight’s ceremonial first pitches at Yankee Stadium 💙
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 11, 2026
As Brielle said in her wedding vows to Sean, “you might be able to break down steel and structure,… https://t.co/QEGwHTQeUO pic.twitter.com/TOLbJW0xey
See a photo of Saracini with Derek Jeter when she was 10 years old in 2001, here:
The Yankees also made a moving tribute video, looking back at the 9/11 terror attacks in relation to baseball and New York, which can be seen, here:
In the aftermath of 9/11, baseball helped bring our city together, offering a sense of hope, healing, and normalcy during one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history 💙 pic.twitter.com/vMTsGDdbyO
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 11, 2026
Revisit George W. Bush’s Post-9/11 First Pitch At Yankee Stadium
As the War on Terror began, the nation was confident and determined, led by President George W. Bush.
On Oct. 30, 2001, just 49 days after the 9/11 terror attacks, President Bush donned an FDNY jacket and threw the first pitch at Game 3 of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium.
It instantly became an iconic moment.
Revisit President George W. Bush’s first pitch at Yankee Stadium, here:
RELATED: 103-Year-Old World War II Veteran Proudly Sings National Anthem At Baseball Game
