An annual remembrance ceremony was held Wednesday morning at the 9/11 waterfront memorial in Yonkers.

Families of the victims joined city officials to remember their loved ones. The Police Emerald Society Bagpipes played "Amazing Grace" to open the solemn observance.

The names of the city's 26 victims are on plaques at the memorial alongside a sign that says, "Yonkers will never forget."

The names of all the victims were read, a bell was rung for each name, and moments of silence were held.

City officials also laid flowers into the Hudson River. American Airlines Flight 11 flew down the Hudson River past Yonkers on its deadly path toward New York City that fateful day. "This was the path that was used and that's why we lay the flowers, because we are laying the flowers in the path of Flight 11 in remembrance and respect for those who lost their lives," says Mayor Mike Spano.

The attacks prompted Yonkers City Council President Mike Khader to join the CIA. He was fresh out of law school.

"That was a hard decision, leaving Yonkers, leaving my family. And I'm proud of the service and the great work that intelligence agencies do to keep our homeland safe," said Khader.