The Today Show broadcasted a special episode on September 11 to honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City.
The show began with Savannah Guthrie reporting live from Lower Manhattan while her co-star, Craig Melvin, was based in Today's regular Studio 1A. "I'm here this morning in Lower Manhattan. Craig, good morning to you. Holding it down in Studio 1A this morning for us," said Savannah.
"Good morning to you as well. It really is hard to believe it was 25 years ago today, hijackers crashing into airplanes killing 3,000 people. And each passing year on this day, America and the world honors those lives lost," said Craig.
© NBC"It is so poignant to be here in Lower Manhattan and be seated below where the Twin Towers stood. We will mark moments this morning when the two planes hit and the towers fell and all the names of those who perished will be read aloud as they are every year," explained Savannah.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed after a series of coordinated terrorist attacks across the United States on September 11, 2001. Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in Manhattan, while a third hit the Pentagon, outside Washington DC.
Savannah also took to social media to post a somber photo of One World Trade with the caption: "Remembering…"
© NBCLater in the episode, Craig interviewed Mikey Collarone, known to many as Mikey Flowers, who strives to make sure the families of 9/11 victims know their loved ones are remembered.
"For years, Mikey Collarone has been doing something remarkable to honor the victims of 9/11. He’s never asked for credit. Tomorrow morning, a woman who lost her husband that day finally gets to tell him what it’s meant to her. It moved me so much. Only on @TODAYshow," Craig penned on Instagram.
© NBCMikey, who owns a Manhattan floral business, donates thousands of white roses each year to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. He began the program in 2013.
"It’s great to see families come to the memorial looking at the birthday rose," Mikey told Craig during the episode. "It’s a birthday rose, it’s not a memorial rose."
© TODAY / NBCMikey was also an eyewitness to the first plane hitting the north tower. "I was a couple of blocks away," he shared. "As I look up, I hear the plane throttle up, and I see the plane going right into the north tower."
He continued: "As I’m trying to run into the World Trade Center, maybe 10 feet away from the revolving doors, the glass started coming down"
"I never left. I never will," he concluded.
