Walter Perez Revisits 9/11 Coverage at 25th Commemoration, Reuniting With 1 Former Crew Member
Updated
Updated · WPVI-TV · Sep 12
Walter Perez Revisits 9/11 Coverage at 25th Commemoration, Reuniting With 1 Former Crew Member
3 articles · Updated · WPVI-TV · Sep 12
Summary
Lower Manhattan's 25th 9/11 commemoration brought former New York reporter Walter Perez back to the scene, where he reunited with ex-cameraman Ritchie Traks to recount covering the attacks.
Perez said the assignment turned chaotic when the South Tower fell during interviews on the West Side Highway, and the North Tower then collapsed behind him as he prepared to go on air.
Traks recalled that the crew's news van was destroyed as they fled, and the pair said they later spent weeks and months filing reports on both heroism and loss after the attacks.
The reunion also underscored the toll that endures: former colleague Mario Martinez died 15 years ago, and Traks now faces kidney disease, with any link to Ground Zero smoke exposure still unknown.
A quarter-century later, Perez and Traks said the memorial's "never forget" message remains personal for those who witnessed the destruction firsthand and still carry its unanswered questions.
Decades after the towers fell, could the invisible toxic dust of 9/11 still be claiming new victims today?
As the 9/11 death toll quietly rises 25 years later, what hidden illnesses are survivors only now beginning to face?
25 Years After 9/11: Commemoration, Media Memory, and the Challenge of Passing the Torch
Overview
Marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Americans honored not only the nearly 3,000 lives lost but also thousands more who died from post-attack illnesses, as seen in the new seventh moment of silence at Ground Zero. With about 100 million Americans born after 2001, commemorations have shifted toward education and digital engagement. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum partnered with Disney to launch the docuseries '9/11 Reunited,' where survivors and rescuers shared stories of healing after 25 years. This evolution reflects how public memory, media, and institutions adapt to preserve history and inspire resilience for new generations.