Twenty-five years ago, the September 11 attacks changed our nation forever. In the days and weeks that followed, Americans responded with an extraordinary outpouring of support, including thousands of people who lined up to donate blood, many waiting for hours for an opportunity to help.
In the week immediately following 9/11, more than 23,000 people donated through New York Blood Center and New Jersey Blood Services, nearly three times the number of donations seen in a typical week today. For many New Yorkers, donating blood was a tangible way to respond at a time when people across the city and region were searching for ways to help.
For New York Blood Center Enterprises team members who were working on September 11, 2001, the memories of that day, and of the response that followed, remain vivid 25 years later.
In this video, longtime NYBCe team members reflect on their experiences during and after the attacks, and the remarkable spirit of compassion and community they witnessed firsthand.
A Lasting Tribute to Those Who Answered the Call
On September 10, 2002, New York Blood Center dedicated a memorial outside its Upper East Side donor center to honor the thousands of people who came forward to help. Three brass footprints embedded in the sidewalk accompany a plaque commemorating the volunteers who waited, both “in person and in spirit,” to give of themselves in response to the needs of 9/11 victims.
The inscription asks that the footprints “forever honor” those volunteers while also serving as a symbol of the selfless donors who give blood throughout the year on behalf of their communities.
Twenty-five years later, the memorial remains a lasting reminder of how New Yorkers responded in the aftermath of 9/11, and of the difference people can make by simply showing up for one another.
Carrying the Spirit of Service Forward
Today, 25 years later, blood donation remains a meaningful way to honor that legacy of service. Thousands of 9/11 survivors and first responders continue to face cancers and other serious illnesses linked to their exposure to toxins near Ground Zero, and blood and platelet transfusions are often an essential part of cancer treatment.
The need for blood extends far beyond 9/11-related illnesses. Every day, patients rely on donated blood for cancer treatment, surgeries and transplants, serious injuries, childbirth and chronic blood disorders. Because blood cannot be manufactured and has a limited shelf life, hospitals depend on people donating regularly so blood is available whenever a patient needs it.
The tremendous donor response following September 11 demonstrated the impact people can have when they choose to help. Maintaining the blood supply requires that same willingness to give every day, not only in moments of crisis.
New York Leaders Encourage New Yorkers to Give Back
As New York marks 25 years since September 11, local leaders are joining New York Blood Center in encouraging the community to honor the anniversary through service.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin reflected on the extraordinary response of New Yorkers following the attacks, and why that spirit of service remains important today.
“Following the September 11 attacks, New Yorkers responded with an extraordinary outpouring of generosity, lining up for hours to give blood. Twenty-five years later, as thousands of survivors and first responders continue to battle illnesses tied to the attacks, that same spirit of service is needed once again,” said New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin. “As someone whose own family was deeply affected by 9/11, this is profoundly personal to me. I join New York Blood Center in encouraging New Yorkers to give blood and help save lives. The survivors and first responders who helped our city recover deserve a city that continues to show up for them.”
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins also joined New York Blood Center in commemorating the anniversary and encouraging New Yorkers to continue the tradition of giving back through blood donation.
As we mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, we remember the lives lost, honor the courage and sacrifice of first responders, and stand with the survivors and families who continue to carry the impact of that day.
We also remember the extraordinary compassion that emerged in its aftermath: neighbors helping neighbors and communities coming together in service to one another. Twenty-five years later, we invite you to carry that spirit forward by giving blood and giving hope to someone in need.