PHOTOS: Jersey City Commemorates 20th Anniversary Of 9/11 Attacks

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Officials and residents gathered for a solemn morning on Saturday much, like the one 20 years ago that the city can't forget — striking blue skies and a piercing sun took a backseat to the sad remembrance ceremony held on the Jersey City waterfront.

For the first time, friends and family of the Jersey City victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks, spoke during the ceremony. Sharing ways they've kept their loved ones alive and how their lives were forever changed, quiet sniffles could be heard throughout the crowd.

In Jersey City, 38 residents died in the attacks. The city's ferry ports became a refuge for people fleeing the city. The waterfront location of the ceremony and Jersey City's 9/11 memorial was used as the area's largest triage center on the day of the attacks in 2001. At the site, Jersey City emergency responders did not hesitate to provide assistance and medical treatment to the countless people.

Below are photos from Saturday's 20th Anniversary 'Reflections' ceremony: