Hes expected to speak this hour. Joe biden and mike pence are both attending memorial events in new york. Greeting each other with an elbow bump as their paths crossed. Biden heads to pennsylvania this afternoon and well also hear from Kamala Harris this hour. She is set to deliver remarks at a ceremony in fairfax, virginia. Todays solemn rituals come as the country confronts a tragedy that has been even deadlier. The coronavirus pandemic as of this morning has killed more than 193,000 americans. Im Hallie Jackson in washington. Joined by nbcs rehema ellis and mike memoli. Carol lee is at the white house, ali witt talvitali in virginia. The 9 11 remembrances this year look different than they have in the past, right . Indeed it does. The pan democrat sick for the pandemic is forcing americans to change the way how they remember the lives that were lost on this day. This year there is no central stage. For the last hour or so, what people have been hearing at Memorial Plaza is the prerecorded reading of names by family members and it is being streamed online and there it is also being broadcast on loudspeakers for family members who are in attendance, but they are also have been asked to socially distance. Many people that i talked to about what was happening today said they are grateful there is even a 9 11 Memorial Service today in light of the fact that there is a pandemic going on. They appreciate the fact that while there are changes, the ceremony is continuing. Hallie . And were looking at some of the images, rehema, from new york city. You see the roses on the memorial there in lower manhattan. And just a moment, well be honoring the victims of the attack in shanksville, pennsylvania, with the moment of silence there. Shanksville, of course, is where President Trump is this morning. We expect him to speak sometime in the next hour. Carol lee is covering the president s remarks from the white house. What do we expect from the president today . Well, hallie, we got some early excerpts of the president s remarks, and from what the white house is revealed so far, the president s speech, it looks like it will be very conciliatory, it honors those who died on 9 11, their families, and those who have served in our military and have laid down their lives since 9 11 as well. I can read you an excerpt of part of im going to interrupt you. Carol, as we take a moment of silence, thank you, carol, with the president in shanksville, lets just listen in to this moment of silence to honor the victims there. And that was a moment of silence marking the moment that flight 93 crashed in shanksville, pennsylvania. Carol, thank you for bringing us more about the president s speech today and as this day traditionally as it is a pause from the campaign trail, especially this year, right . Yeah, it really is, hallie. The president is his remarks are, as i said, very conciliatory, he talks about being a United Nation and honoring those who died on 9 11, by being united and caring for your neighbor and all the sorts of themes that you heard on past years. This is typically been a time when even in the heat of a campaign, the candidates will set down the politics for at least a day, and speak in a way that one voice, for the country, and thats what were expected to hear from the president today, based on what the white house said so far. And, mike memoli, who is at the 9 11 memorial, in lower manhattan, joe biden has already said hes not making any news today. He is expected to head to pennsylvania later on this afternoon, right . Yeah, thats right, hallie. Not to expect any formal remarks from the former Vice President as he participates in both of these locations with his own memorials in his own way. Striking visuals as we have been seeing here in new york this morning. First, as you menmentioned, we seeing bide withinsee ing biden with a brief elbow bump with his successor. And then something we really havent seen much at all in this pandemic campaign, which is as biden stayed behind, and was greeting some of the families of victims of 9 11, interacting with them, how often have we talked about bidens real strength in being able to communicate and empathize with people who have experienced the same kind of grief, the same kind of loss that he has. Biden reminding reporters this morning that his campaign has suspended all of its advertising as part of this day, not intending to make any news or be political in any way. It was also striking, hallie, as mike pence left the official commemoration here, at the ground zero memorial, to attend a separate event, where there was a live reading of the names of the victims, the Vice President mike pence also reading some bible verses and as he concluded his remarks, there was a you can hear according to print Pool Reporter there, maggie haberman, some chanmore chants of four more years, so not able to escape the campaign entirely this year. Thank you. Were waiting to hear from President Trump who is in shanksville, pennsylvania, delivering remarks. Were going to bring them to you live. Were waiting to hear this hour from Kamala Harris, shes speaking in fairfax, virginia, just outside of washington. Ali vitali is there. As mike is talking about, the Biden Campaign, not having any advertising out this day, trying to take a break from the campaigning as much as they can. Reporter thats right, and the same goes here in fairfax, virginia, where senator Kamala Harris is joining an event being hosted by a First Responder group here in fairfax county. A guest of senator mark warner, one of the senators here in virginia. And we expect to see this Program Begin very soon at 10 28. Theyre going to announce and remember the time that the first tower collapsed. From there well begin hearing from the fire chief here. Followed by senator warner. And then followed by senator Kamala Harris. And youre right, this day is a pause from the politics of the campaign trail. So rarely do we get to see republicans and democrats both vying for the same position, standing next to each other, remembering this solemn day in american history. So for Kamala Harris, the same is true of what the Biden Campaign had said. This is not a day for politics, instead, a day for remembering the tragedy that befell this country, 19 years ago. I would also say, though, that while this is not a day for politics, you can see the layout here in fairfax, virginia, very few chairs for people who are going to be sitting here. There is very few people here broadly, behind the cameras, what you cant see is there is a few dozen First Responders that are here but no crowds, lots of masks, still clear that while were remembering one tragedy, were very much in the midst of another one in the coronavirus pandemic, seeing all of those hallmarks here today, as we remember september 11th, 19 years later. Ali vitali in fairfax, thank you. John meacham for some reflections on the day. To alis point there, the atlantic is the anniversary of 9 11, a rolling day after day assault on our country that sa far has killed more than 60 times as Many Americans as the attacks of 9 11. So the atlantic writes, why does the grief of 2020 feel so different . Why does our country so united after 9 11 feel so splintered now . Can you reflect on that for us this morning . Yeah, you know, remembrance lies at the heart of great religious traditions. Moses said remember the days of old, remember the years of many generations. The christian tradition is based on do this in remembrance of me. Remembrance gives us a moment to take stock of where we were, where we are, and ultimately, of course, where we go. And what began on september 11th, 2001, on that brilliantly Beautiful Day that became so bloody, what president bush would call a day of fire, was a new and even more challenging century in many ways than the 20th century had been. Great wars, the possibility of nuclear armageddon, traditional understandings of state craft and the power among nations and among peoples was fairly comprehensible in the 20th century. The 21st century is an age of asymmetrical threats. It is terrorism. It is nonstate actors or state actors who are helping nonstate terrorists. It is pandemics. It is economic dislocation because of globalization. Its a different world. There are perennial human themes, of course. There is live and loss and the search for prosperity and for security. But we are in 2020 a more fractured country than we were even in 2001. Partly technology has exacerbated that. Didnt create it. Tribalism long predates social media. But we have in fact managed to retreat more and more into individual silos. More so than we were even 20 years ago. Certainly more so than we were in the middle of the 20th century. So the long view here is we have become ever more divided, and yet the challenges that confront us require unity. And thats why the question of leadership and of citizenship, we talk a lot about leadership in this country, we talk less about followership, but a republic is about you and me. It is about our dispositions of heart and mind. And so we are the sum of our parts. And one would hope that a solemn and really sad day like today would give us a chance to assess what do we want to be . Who do we want to be . And who do we want to lead us in these largely unforeseeable moments of crisis. John meacham, thank you for that. I want to bring in Peter Alexander from shanksville, pennsylvania. Can you tell us what it is like to be there on the ground on a morning like this . Reporter it is a powerful scene here. The president arriving a short time ago as they participate in this solemn ceremony, a light drizzle. This is a place as you know well represents unity, courage, defiance, and the face of adversity. Just moments ago, they completed the reading of the names, names of those passengers and crew members who died on this day 19 years ago, each echoed with the ringing of the bells of remembrance. Last night they debuted the tower of light display illuminated the sky. The chaplin in the beginning of this ceremony, his introduction, said no one gets over it, but together they hope to get through it. This is a country who, today, remembers one crisis as it is dealing with another. And the coronavirus pandemic is present here. And they are separated, socially distanced, the seats are separated and in the past there would be a thousand people in attendance. This year, there is only about 100 or 200 or so that are here. The president will be delivering remarks, im told by white house officials, who will honor heroes, remind americans to never forget, and recount the story of bravery in a time of crisis. Im struck as we stand in this baron field at western pennsylvania, by the fact that this plane, intended target for the hijackers on that day, they believe was the nations capitol, not just the capitol, but the Capitol Building itself, they say it was just 18 minutes away from getting to that intended target if it werent for the courageous actions of the passengers and crew members on board, hallie. That is why, peter this is so fitting we remember and honor them today. Peter alexander in shanksville. Thank you. We will be checking in with all of you throughout the hour. As you heard peter mention, were are expected to hear from President Trump shortly in shanksville at the flight 93 observance ceremony. Well bring that to you live when it happens. Kamala harris will also be speaking at a 9 11 remembrance ceremony in fairfax, virginia. Up next, we need to update you on something else. The historic wildfires out west growing at an explosive rate, killing more people and right now more than two dozen are still missing. Were live on the ground in california and oregon. Ing. Were live on the ground in california and oregon. This is decision tech. Find a stock based on your interests or whats trending. Get realtime insights in your customized view of the market. Its smarter Trading Technology for smarter trading decisions. Fidelity. Come on in, were open. All we do is hand you the bag. Simple. Done. We adapt and we change. You know, you just figure it out. Weve just been finding a way to keep on pushing. To soccer practices. And new adventures. You hope the more you give the less theyll miss. But even if your teen was vaccinated against meningitis in the past. They may be missing vaccination for meningitis b. Lets help protect them together. Because missing menb vaccination could mean missing out on a whole lot more. Ask your doctor if your teen is missing meningitis b vaccination. Ask your d ctorhere . Our teen nah. Here . Nope. Here. When the middle of nowhere. Is somewhere. The allnew chevy trailblazer. As of this morning, 20 people have been killed in california, and those historic wildfires, with rescue crews now that the sun is coming up there just restarting their search for people missing in mountain communities in the northern part of the state. Thats where overnight a huge fire exploded in size. In oregon, entire towns are gone, with roughly half a Million People who evacuated unsure what theyll find when they eventually get to return home. Lets bring in jake ward and steve patterson. Jake, it is tough to look at what is left of these towns. The ruins, basically. Were firefighters able to get ahead of these things at all in the last 24 hours . Reporter so on a case by case basis, hallie it depends, but the broad answer state wide is no. We have at least five fires in california, each of which is over 100,000 acres and as of yesterday, we were talking about only 1 containment. This is a touching all parts of the state. At this point, one in ten oregon residents are under an evacuation order. And two of the largest fires just north of us here and south of portland are predicted to converge together, which is going to make a whole other problem. Compounding that is four residents of places like phoenix, oregon, where i am, a thousand residents have been lost, people cannot get in to find out whether they have lost their homes. This and is i say this not to blame oregon officials, but it is because they dont have experience with this. You learn the hard way. This is what california has learned when it comes to setting up the sort of post disaster infrastructure. So to see people struggling now to figure out, do i still have a home, do i still have a car . Do i still have all of these things or has it been destroyed, they cant get those answers yet. Were here in day three and that feeling is very strong here. Steve, in california, there are already seeing history being made with the wildfires. And yet there is more concern now for human life, for property destruction, because things are intensifying. What are you seeing there . Reporter yeah, were seeing just that on the ground, ten more confirmed dead in that fire you were alluding to, just a minute ago. That fire fueled by 45 mile an hour winds in northern california, called the bear fire, on the edge of several fires that are burning in that region. There are still 16 people still missing that we know of in that region with that fire specifically. But there are fires burning across this state, 30 major fires from northern california, central california, southern california. Six of them are among the largest in state history. The first ballooning to a size in which we have never seen in this state. Firefighters are in lobbed in a battle of control in all of these fires. Here in southern california, worried about the santa ana winds, in central california, theyre worried about the spread of the fire and what can it do on all fronts if there is any wind gusts that pick up and there is expected to be because steve, thank you. Reporter were not even steven steve, i have to cut you off there as we see President Trump in shanksville, pennsylvania, we have been listening to the ceremonies in shanksville. President trump is about to address the nation now. 40 brave men and women triumphed over terror and gave their lives in defense of our nation. Their names and their stories are forever inscribed on the eternal roll call of american heroes. Today we pay tribute to their sacrifice and we mourn deeply for the nearly 3,000 precious and beautiful souls who were taken from us on september 11th, 2001. To the family members of flight 93, today every heart beat in america is wedded to yours. Your pain and anguish is the shared grief of our whole nation. The memory of your treasured loved ones will inspire america for all time to come. The heroes of flight 93 are an ever lasting reminder that no matter the danger, no matter the threat, no matter the odds, america will always rise up, stand tall, and fight back. To every 9 11 member all across this nation, the first lady and i come to this hallowed ground, deeply aware that we cannot fill the void in your heart, or erase the terrible sorrow of this day, the agony renewed, the nightmare relived, the wounds reopened, the last treasured words played over and over again in your minds, but while we cannot erase your pain, we can help to shoulder your burden. We promise that unwavering love that you so want and need, support, devotion, and the very special devotion of all americans. On that september morning when america was under attack, the battle turned in the skies above this field. Soon after taking off from newark, new jersey, radical islamic terrorists seized control of united 93. Other hijacked planes struck the north tower of the World Trade Center and then the south tower and then the pentagon. The terrorists on flight 93 had a fourth target in mind, it was called our nations capitol. They were 20 minutes away from reaching their sinister objective. The only thing that stood between the enemy and a Deadly Strike at the heart of american democracy was the courage and resolve of 40 men and women. The amazing passengers and crew of flight 93. Donald and Jean Peterson were grandparents traveling to vacation in california. Beara bodily was a student headed back to college. Richard ordego was returning from celebrating his grandmothers 100th birthday. Lauren katozi grchancolis was three months pregnant with her first child. Every passenger and crew member on the plane had a life filled with love and joy, friends and family, radiant hopes and limitless dreams. When the plane was hijacked, they called their families and learned that america was also under attack. Then they faced the most fateful moment of their lives, through the heartache and the tears, they prayed to god, they placed their last calls home, they whispered the immortal words, i love you. Today those words ring out across the sacred grounds, and they shine down on us from heaven above. When terrorists raced to destroy the scene of our democracy, the 40 of flight 93 did the most american of things, they took a vote, and then they acted. Together they charged the cockpit, they confronted the pure evil and in their last act on this earth, they saved our capitol. In this pennsylvania field, the 40 intrepid souls of flight 93 died as true heroes. Their momentous deeds will outlive us all. In the days and weeks after 9 11, citizens of all faiths, backgrounds, colors and creeds came together, prayed together, mourned together, and rebuilt together. The song God Bless America became a rallying cry for the nation. We were united by our conviction that america was the worlds most exceptional country, blessed with the most incredible heroes and that this was a land worth defending with our very last breath. It was a unity based on love for our families, care for our neighbors, loyalty to our fellow citizens, pride in our great flag, gratitude for our police and First Responders, faith in god, and a refusal to bend our will to the depraved forces of violence, intimidation, oppression and evil. In new york, arlington, and shanksville, people raced in to the suffocating smoke and rubble. At ground zero, the world witnessed the miracle of american courage and sacrifice as ash rained down, Police Officers, First Responders and firefighters ran into the fires of hell. On that day, more than 400 First Responders gave their lives, including 23 new York City Police officers, 37 Port Authority workers, and 343 new york city firefighters. Today we honor their extraordinary sacrifice, and every First Responder who keeps america safe. With us today is david demateo, a retired Chicago Police officer, and a current officer of the navy reserves. On 9 11 he drove from chicago to ground zero. As david says, while the sights and smells of working at ground zero will forever be etched in my mind, what is more profound is the way this country came together afterwards. The Police Officers and firemen were revered as the heroes they truly are. The military was appreciated in a manner not seen in decades, and Common People found new meaning and values like friendship, kindness, and selflessness. Thank you, david, such beautiful words and thank you to every member of Law Enforcement who risked their lives to ensure our safety and uphold our peace. This morning we also remember the 183 people who were killed in the attack on the pentagon. And the Remarkable Service members who crawled straight through the raging blaze to rescue their comrades. We express our undying loyalty to the nearly 6 million young men and women who have enlisted in the United States armed forces since september 11th, 2001. More than 7,000 military heroes have laid duown their lives since 9 11 to preserve our freedom. No words can express the summit of their glory or the infinite depth of our gratitude. But we will strive every single day to repay our immeasurable debt and prove worthy of their supreme sacrifice. America will never relent in pursuing terrorists that threaten our people. Less than one year ago, american warriors took out the savage killer and leader of isis, al baghdadi. Soon after our warriors ended the brutal reign of the iranian butcher, who murdered thousands of American Service members, the worlds top terrorists, asim soleimani is dead. Here in shanksville, this community locked arms and hearts in the wake of tragedy. With us today is chuck wagner, a heavy equipment operator, who lives just a few miles away. Very soon after the attack chuck helped search for the black box. He was so changed by what he experienced that he joined with several members of his church to become what they call ambassadors for the 40 men and women on flight 93. Church and his neighbors learned about each person, cared for their families, and each day, rain or shine, they took shifts standing vigil over their final resting place. Long before this place was a national memorial, back when it was marked by a simple wooden cross, chuck and his fellow ambassadors were always here waiting to tell visitors about those we lost. 19 years later, chuck says his life is devoted to three things. Thin his family, his church and preserving the memory of the men and women of flight 93. To chuck, his wife, jane [ applause ] thank you very much. Thank you very much. To chuck and his wife jane, thank you so much for being here, and to the over 40 ambassadors with us today, please stand and receive americas thanks. And this is a very deep thanks. Please. [ applause ] thank you very much. Also with us is marine veteran jason thomas from long island. On september 11th, jason had just retired from the marines. But he immediately put back on his uniform and raced into the nightmare of ash and debris at ground zero. He found a fellow marine, dave karans. Together they began to call out United States marines, United States marines, if you can hear us, yell, tap, do whatever you can do with the United States marines. Soon they heard a shout for help. Two Police Officers were trapped beneath 20 feet of rubble, jason and dave dug for hours on end, knowing that at any moment the wreckage could come down on them, crushing them alive. At one point someone told jason to stop, jason replied, im a marine, i dont go back, i go forward. That day jason helped save the lives of those two officers. For years jason said nothing about what he did on 9 11, he did not even tell his five children. But when he saw the rescue recounted on tv, he decided to meet those officers. One of them gave him a gift, a steel cross made from a beam that jason helped lift to free them from the hell on earth. As jason said, about the cross, it means a lot, it is a symbol of what we are as americans, because that day we all came together and stood as a nation, as americans, it didnt matter what race you were, what religion you were, it didnt matter, we all came together to help one another. I would die for this country. I would die for this country. Jason, thank you very much for bearing witness to the character of our nation. Jason. Thank you very much. [ applause ] thank you very much. Thank you, jason. The men and women of flight 93 were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives. Nothing could have prepared them for the dreadful events of that morning. But when the moment came, when history called, they did not hesitate. They did not waver. 40 towering patriots rose up, took charge, made their stand, turned the tide, and changed the course of history forever. Our sacred task, our righteous duty, and our solemn pledge is to Carry Forward the noble legacy of the brave souls who gave their lives for us, 19 years ago. In their memory, we resolve to stand united as one american nation, to defend our freedoms, to uphold our values, to love our neighbors, to cherish our country, to care for our communities, to honor our heroes, and to never, ever forget. Thank you, god bless you. God bless the heroes of flight 93. God bless all of the families, 9 11 will never get. God bless you all. And God Bless America. Thank you very much. [ applause ] never forget. The message from President Trump, never forget those heroes that hes honoring today in shanksville, pennsylvania. As you heard the president , accompanied by the first lady there in p. A. , honor those who gave their lives, honor the people who helped save lives on that day, 19 years ago. We are about to see the president and the first lady lay a wreath in honor of those victims. Were going to bring that to you when it happens. And for the rest of the remembrances here in shanksville, pennsylvania. We also have been covering the remembrances in new york, in lower manhattan, at the 9 11 memorial, and were about to hear from democratic Vice President ial nominee senator harris in fairfax, virginia. As we wait for those events to happen, i want to bring back in carol lee at the white house and msnbc contributor john meacham. You see the scene from virginia there. Carol, your thoughts on the president. This is a similar speech to one we heard him deliver on 9 11 anniversaries in the past. Reporter it is, hallie. This tone was similar to what we have heard from him on 9 11 anniverseries in the past, very somber president , dramatically different from the tone that we heard from the president on other days and in recent days and weeks. But he spent a lot of time really focusing on honoring First Responders, the victims of 9 11, their families, members of the military, and there were and then generally had a message of unity, which is not something we have heard recently from the president. He talked about the way to honor those who died on 9 11 is by remaining a United Nation, and, you know, defending our freedoms, upholding our values, loving our neighbors, these are not always sort of things that we hear the president say, but clearly hes taking a pause and honoring the victims of 9 11 and the families on what is usually and always has been since for the last 19 years a very somber day, hallie. And you can see the president in shanksville getting ready for the wreath laying ceremony. Were going to watch him perform the ceremony with the first lady and take a moment of silence there in shanksville. Lets listen in. President trump there honoring the victims from flight 93 in shanksville, pennsylvania. In virginia, senator Kamala Harris is marking this 9 11 anniversary. We want to listen in to what she has to say now. Hug and hold each other. Perfect strangers, understanding at our core without reflection, without thinking about it, that were all in this together. Were all in this together. And as we honor and remember those who sacrificed so much, who ran in harms way to protect people they never met, to stand strong, as we honor their memories, these 19 days later, let us also remember that honoring them is also about reminding us of who we are as americans. Because in times of tragedy, in times of despair, in times of suffering and pain, we, by our very nature, as who we are, we stand together. We stand together. Understanding we are all in this together. And so as we honor them, lets remember that about who we are as a nation. And i want to thank chief butler for bringing us together. My deepest thanks, of course, to our active duty military, our veterans and military families for their service. And to all of the First Responders here today. My brotherinlaw is a firefighter in california. And it is personal to me as well as mark said throughout my career, part of my lifes work to stand with each of you, and i thanks for the sacrifice that you are prepared to make every day you walk out of your homes. And the sacrifices your family makes when they bid you off as you go, wearing that uniform, while they say a silent prayer that you will come home at the end of your shift. I thank you all for the work you do. And i know i speak for everyone here, and millions more, when i say, we are so deeply proud of you. And eternally grateful for your sacrifice, and for your courage. And it is a pleasure, chief, you told us that some of the heros from that day, 19 years ago, are still right here, serving this community. And i thank you on behalf of all of us, for the consistency of your dedication to your country. So today we honor those lost in new york, pennsylvania, and right here in virginia, we remember the passengers and crew members, the firefighters, Law Enforcement, peace officers and military personnel, we remember that they were more than victims of an unspeakable act. They were also parents, and sons and daughters, and neighbors and friends. And we know that they will never be defined by the story of those who stole them away. No, they will be defined by their humanity, by their stories, by their laughter, that still echoes in the homes and hearts of those who love them. What our attackers failed to understand is that the darkness they hoped would envelop us on 9 11, instead summoned our most radiant and defined human instincts, the instinct to care for one another, to transcend our divisions, and see ourselves as fellow citizens. To race toward danger and risk everything to protect each other. The instinct to unite. If we learned anything, watching the heroes of 9 11, it is that the strength of the human spirit knows no bounds. And that even the gravest threats against us only serve to reveal our true strength. That our capacity to act with love and courage in the face of immense challenge is what defines us as americans. Im humbled to be here, and to join in this moment, and i will and i pray that the cherished memory of those who served reminds us both of who they were as individuals, but also of who we are as a nation. Thank you for including me in todays ceremony, may god bless their memories and our troops and the United States of america. Thank you. [ applause ] you have been listening to democratic Vice President ial nominee senator Kamala Harris speak at a 9 11 remembrance ceremony in fairfax, virginia. Her remarks coming after we heard from the president in shanksville, pennsylvania, and after an event this morning in lower manhattan, to commemorate the victims of 9 11. These events look a little different this year. The seats are socially distanced. You see the speakers in masks, covid19 adding to the difficult reality facing so many of our 9 11 heroes today. First responders and survivors are at higher risk of serious illness and death from the coronavirus. Many of them coping with longterm or lifelong respiratory illnesses including lung cancer, asthma, copd. The World Trade CenterHealth Program telling us nearly 1500 responders and survivors have already fought the coronavirus, with nearly 200 needing hospitalization, 44 dieing from it. The 9 11 Victim Compensation funds responding with the new update this week to those who have died interest coronavirus. Their families are not potentially eligible for the fund based on the underlying conditions. Joining me now is one of those two time survivors, john feel, a demolition supervisor at ground zero who spent 11 weeks in the hospital at time and this sming spring he survived another close call. Thank you for being with us this morning. Thank you for having me. Im humbled to be here. Especially on a day where this is a somber day. This is a day of remembrance and reflection, and anything short of not talking about those we lost that day, then we failed. My heart bleeds for those families that lost loved ones on that horrific day. And, you know, i survived getting injured on 9 17 01 and im never going to be the same. I survived covid and pneumonia in march. I know ill never be the same. And im lucky. Im blessed. But there are thousands of people that are suffering still, 19 years later, and then add the pandemic on top of that, you know, 9 11 is the longest day in the history of days that it hasnt ended. And were still suffering as a nation. So when i see elected officials speak, and it i want to believe theyre being genuine and speaking from the heart, i want to ask them why it took so long to get legislation passed to help americans, because the two dont equal up to me and im not going to put on my advocacy hat today, but im putting on my humanity hat today, and im challenging everybody in d. C. And in the state capitals to ensure that the American People get treatment, protection, and hope and confidence theyll be taken care of aftergetting 9 11 and if they get legislation passed that will help them financially put food on the table. Keeping that humanity hat on, as you describe it, john, you talk about the many people still suffering. 19 years later from 9 11, from the reverberations of that tack, the health issues, now with the coronavirus as you talk about. Youre talking about some of the needs that exist. What specifically do you want to see done to better help those still suffering 19 years after that day. Well, i mean, the we could do a better job in getting people in the World Trade CenterHealth Program and helping them file a claim. We do that every day with limited resources. That every d limited resources. The compensation part is run by the department of justice. Theyre doing a great job. The Health Care Department is being run by niash. You saw what happened yesterday when the story broke. While today is not the day, they took money from the fdny screening program. Thats wrong on every level. Yes need to do better. On september 12th, the day after 9 11 charity triumphed over anger and everybody came together, and the president touched on this. But it didnt matter your skin color, your gender, your political affiliation, your religion. They keep saying everybody was an american. No, everybody became a human being. It took an acto devastation and terrorism to make us all become human beings. This pandemic should have made us become human beings again and treat each other with empathy and sympathy and love thy neighbor. Neighbor cant go to the store, bring neighbor food. Its that similar. Talk about that more, john. You have described before a fear in your fight with coronavirus unlike anything youve experienced since 9 11. What do you want people to know about your experience there . Its real. Its not a hoax. I spent 11 weeks in the hospital when i got injured after 9 11, and i was scared. I was never scared before that or after that in my whole life ever. Nothing scares me. Im not afraid of dying. When i cot covid and my known yeah, i was scared. I could not breathe. I was gasping for my life. I pray that nobody ever has to go through that again. Im here im lucky. You know the old saying, everybody says it and ive said it a million times today. The only saying, you only live once. Thats not true. You only die once. You live every day. Man, we take things for granted that could be gone like that. Your message, john, i think is so important for people to hear, not just today but every day. I know tomorrow your foundation is planning a special tribute to 9 11 survivors who also have been battling with the coronavirus. Can you, before we wrap up, talk about your mindset going into these tributes, not just today but tomorrow as well. Tomorrow i built a park on long island called the 9 11 Remembrance Park and we read the names. Tomorrow well add 170 names to our wall which has 1600, 1700 names on it now. Their names will be read out loud followed by a flyover. Ive been to 186 funerals. Before 9 11 ive been to one, my grandfather. Families couldnt afford to bury their loved ones. We cannot continue to call ourselves the greatest nation in the world if we cannot take care of our greatest resources which are firefighters, Police Officers, ems. Next tuesday jon stewart and i will go back to washington, d. C. And introduce legislation for those affected by the burn pits in afghanistan and other places in the mid east. These are ordinary people that did extraordinary things that protected us 24 7. We continue to fail our nations heroes. Thats just not my norm. I will never conform to what everybody else, a new norm. John feal, i cant thank you enough for sharing your thoughts with us this morning of all mornings. Appreciate your time. Thank you for having me. It means a lot. Every american thinks back to where they were, things back to 19 years ago, how they felt as they watched the attacks unfold. This is especially true for a lot of people in new york. Nbc news harry smith is one of those new yorkers. [ sirens ]. Oh, my god. Reporter it was all just too much. What we were watching couldnt be real. Our minds, our souls refused to believe it. The enormity of it all, the shock, soon turning to sorrow, as we realized so many people would not be going home to their loved ones that night. The grief was uncontainable, the missing, the unaccounted for, their pictures and the pleas that accompanied them were cries for help. Hes my best friend in the world. Hes a great dad and im hoping he can still be a great dad. If not, we love you rolan. Reporter expressions of hope that somehow, some way, the unthinkable had not happened. There was heroism in the air that day, the way the passengers and crew refused to let the terrorists turn a plane above pennsylvania into a bomb, the way so many people in the World Trade Center helped their friends and colleagues and complete strangers to safety, the way the firefighters, Law Enforcement and emts gave little pause to entering buildings they knew theyd never escape. We were numb for weeks. The pictures from the pentagon, the fire there that took days to extinguish, the hallowed outfield in shanksville where united flight 93 was forced to the ground. The search for survivors, for remains. They said the air there was safe. Those who were there knew that couldnt be true. We watched a lot of funerals and learned over time the life stories of those we lost. As the accounts of selflessness poured forth, we were inspired, we were in awe. How, we wonder, could they have done what they did. As heinous as those acts of terrorism were, what resulted was the opposite we think of what was intended. Usa usa reporter for a good long while afterwards, it felt like we were a United States. It was a great thing. The idea that theres more that unites us than divides us. God bless america reporter as the bells rings and names are read, perhaps well all do well to stop and listen and remember. And we will never forget. That does it for us on this hour of msnbc live. My colleague craig melvin has more after the break. A lot of folks ask me why their dishwasher doesnt get everything clean. I tell them, it may be your detergent. Thats why more dishwasher brands recommend cascade platinum. With the soaking, scrubbing and rinsing built right in. For sparklingclean dishes, the first time. Cascade platinum. Crankypated a bad mood related to a sluggish gut. Miralax is different. It works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. Free your gut, and your mood will follow. 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