On August 24, 2026, the remains of a woman killed during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center 25 years ago were identified.

She was “the 1,654th victim identified overall through the ongoing analysis of remains recovered from the attacks,” according to the New York City Mayor’s Office. It is likely she will not be the last.

Key Takeaways

• 9/11 identifications continue 25 years later, with 1,099 victims still unidentified
• New DNA and genealogical technologies are giving some families long-awaited answers
• Funeral directors must recognize that renewed grief can follow identification decades after death

The work to identify remains, first started in the days after terrorists flew two planes into the twin towers on September 11, 2001, continues.

“A quarter century after the day that forever changed our world, we are keeping the promise to identify those who died at the World Trade Center in 2001 and return them to their loved ones,” said Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason K. Graham.

The progress and the process used to identify remains has not been static. Throughout the 25 years since 9/11, new technologies have led to new discoveries, bringing answers to families torn apart by the deaths that day and the lack of remains to inter.

The latest development in the quest to identify remains is FIGG or forensic investigative genetic genealogy, in which DNA technology is paired with genealogical investigative protocols to find matches. The genealogical databases are made up, in part, of those who volunteer their genetic makeup. The data shared between the two can begin to build out a family tree, which in turn can help to identify anonymous victims of crimes.

The August 2026 identification was made with the assistance of FIGG. It was the first positive identification since three victims’ remains were identified in August 2025.

The sheer enormity of the task facing investigators working on the remains of unidentified 9/11 victims means that progress is slow and often painstaking, and there are logistical hurdles in their way at every step.

"These remains went through every possible thing that could destroy DNA, from jet fuel to diesel fuel, mold, bacteria, sunlight, all kinds of chemicals that were in the building," Mark Desire, assistant director of forensic biology for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, told the 60 Minutes news program. "Everything was present at ground zero, making this not only the largest forensic investigation in the history of the United States, but the most difficult."

Because of that difficulty, 1,099 of the more than 2,700 victims of the World Trade Center attacks remain unidentified. While that work continues, the remains of the victims, collected over years after the attacks, lie in a repository operated by the OCME and located in the National September 11 Memorial complex at the site where the twin towers stood.

Access to the 2,500-square-foot facility is strictly limited. A private reflection room for families of victims is part of the complex. The highly sophisticated identification process is conducted off-site. Those conducting the investigations are dealing mostly with bone fragments now, and families are notified when new identifications are made. Some families have been notified numerous times that remains, no matter how small, have been matched.

The identification process presents challenges for funeral directors when families may seek to inter whatever remains are returned.

Funeral directors should approach any calls with an understanding that conversations with the victim’s family are likely to be heavy with the weight of 25 years of wondering, said New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association Executive Director and CEO George R. Kelder Jr., CFSP.

“They may be overwhelmed,” Kelder said of the families. “They may not even know what they want yet. Our role is to slow things down and let them talk.”

Then, Kelder said, help in the ways that funeral directors are trained to do.

“We explain the funeral and disposition options. We help with the practical things. If there are questions about identification or forensic matters, we make sure they're getting those answers from the people whose job it is to provide them,” Kelder said. “We shouldn't speculate, and we shouldn't pretend to know something we don't know. But I think our biggest responsibility is simply to be there, to be present.”

After all, Kelder said, the interaction between a 9/11 family and a funeral director is “vastly different.”

“Most of us in this profession meet a family shortly after a death. There is a beginning to the grief, and we're there to help them through those first days,” Kelder said. “This is different because the grief has been going on for 25 years. Think about that. Twenty-five years of birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, children growing up, grandchildren being born all with that unanswered question sitting there. And then suddenly somebody tells you, ‘We've identified your loved one.’ That's going to bring a lot of emotions.”

Workers at the New York OCME have made it a priority to deal with those emotions with as much empathy as they can muster. The repository at the memorial contains thousands of fragments of human remains. For some, that may merely seem scientific. For families, it’s a place that holds someone they love, to be treated with reverence.

That’s why families still come, sometimes to sit in silence, sometimes to hear news about victims. But because the identification process is ongoing, it is, in many cases, not a final resting place.

“I think 9/11 changed the way a lot of us think about death,” Kelder said. “We learned that sometimes death doesn't come with an ending. There isn't necessarily a body. There isn't necessarily a funeral. There isn't necessarily a place where the family can go and say goodbye. And I think that's why these identifications still matter 25 years later.”

Standing by these families, even 25 years later, remains a priority, Kelder said, because even years after the attacks, they still are saying goodbye.

“We can't fix what happened on September 11. None of us can. But we can help a family through what comes next,” Kelder said. “And maybe that's the most important thing to remember. Twenty-five years may have passed, but to a family that has been waiting for an answer, this isn't 25 years ago. It's happening now.”

Decades after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the work continues to identify the human remains found on the site. One victim’s remains were just positively identified in August 2026.

For New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association Executive Director and CEO George R. Kelder Jr., CFSP, that continued search to notify families means that funeral directors’ efforts to help are not over.

As the 25th anniversary of the attacks approaches, The FORUM asked Kelder about the role of funeral directors in this ongoing tragedy.

Here are his answers:

When contacted by a victim’s family, what can funeral directors do?
I think the first thing we can do is listen. And I mean really listen.

If a family reaches out after 25 years, there's probably a lot behind that phone call. They may have questions. They may be overwhelmed. They may not even know what they want yet.

Our role is to slow things down and let them talk.

Then we help with what we know how to do. We explain the funeral and disposition options. We help with the practical things. If there are questions about identification or forensic matters, we make sure they're getting those answers from the people whose job it is to provide them. We shouldn't speculate, and we shouldn't pretend to know something we don't know.

But I think our biggest responsibility is simply to be there, to be present.

After 25 years of uncertainty, a family shouldn't have to feel like they're navigating another complicated system by themselves.

For funeral directors, how different is it dealing with a family who has wondered for 25 years what happened on 9/11?
It's vastly different.

Most of us in this profession meet a family shortly after a death. There is a beginning to the grief, and we're there to help them through those first days.

This is different because the grief has been going on for 25 years. Think about that. Twenty-five years of birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, children growing up, grandchildren being born all with that unanswered question sitting there.

And then suddenly somebody tells you, "We've identified your loved one."

That's going to bring a lot of emotions. There might be relief. There might be sadness. There might be anger. There might even be disbelief. And I don't think any of us should assume that finally having an identification somehow makes everything better.

It answers an incredibly important question. But it doesn't give them back 25 years.

And for those of us who lived through September 11, there's another piece to it. I remember that day. I remember the uncertainty and the feeling that none of us really understood the magnitude of what was happening.

But when you’re sitting across from a family, you must remember that this isn't your story. It's theirs.

I can understand something about the day. I can understand the enormity of it. But we haven't lived their 25 years.

That's an important distinction.

Any other thoughts on protocols or best practices?
Know who is going to be the person dealing with the family. Don't make the family tell their story five different times to five different people.

Know who your contacts are at the medical examiner's office and the other agencies involved. Know where to send questions that are outside your expertise.

And document everything. You're dealing with a lot of information, and some of it may be especially important to the family.

I'd also say protect their privacy.

There may be a lot of public interest in an identification connected to September 11, but that doesn't mean the family wants their story to be told publicly. The family gets to decide that.

And give them choices. That's something I think we sometimes underestimate. After 25 years of having so much out of their control, being able to make decisions about what happens next can be incredibly meaningful.

Any thoughts on the lingering effects of 9/11 on our processing of the deaths and the pain of the families?
I think 9/11 changed the way a lot of us think about death.

We learned that sometimes death doesn't come with an ending.

There isn't necessarily a body. There isn't necessarily a funeral. There isn't necessarily a place where the family can go and say goodbye.

And I think that's why these identifications still matter 25 years later.

We use the word "closure" a lot in funeral service. I'm not sure I really believe in closure. I think grief changes, but it doesn't necessarily close.

What we can do is give grief somewhere to go.

For some of these families, finally being able to make arrangements may be incredibly important. It doesn't erase what they've been through. It doesn't erase the person they lost. But it gives them something they haven't had for 25 years.

And I think that's an important part of what we do as funeral directors.

We can't fix what happened on September 11. None of us can.

But we can help a family through what comes next.

And maybe that's the most important thing to remember. Twenty-five years may have passed, but to a family that has been waiting for an answer, this isn't 25 years ago. It's happening now.

If you missed the deadline for registering online for the 2026 Funeral Directors Convention and Expo in Atlantic City, you still have an opportunity to attend. On-site registration for the Convention will be available during the event.

Attending the Convention, held from September 15 to 17 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, provides you with the chance to interact with a community of your peers and find opportunities to enhance your business and improve your bottom line.

Continuing education seminars, an Exhibit Hall filled with cutting-edge technology and tools for the funeral industry, and enjoyable networking opportunities are all part of the package at the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association’s premier event.

If you decide to come for one day or all three days, registration packages are available for you. Take advantage of one of the following:

All Access Pass: With this registration option, attendees can earn elective CEUs, network and shop with vendors on the Exhibit Hall floor (including a cocktail reception, lunch, coffee and refreshments) and socialize with other funeral professionals at a variety of gatherings. You will also receive perks such as a drink ticket for The Last Call, the final Convention gathering held Thursday night.

Single Day Pass: This registration option gives you the flexibility to attend all Convention programming on the day of your choice. You can earn elective CEUs, walk the Exhibit Hall (Wednesday/Thursday only), network with funeral professionals and experience one or more of our featured events. Register in advance and choose your day upon arrival.

Exhibit Hall Only Pass: Back by popular demand, this registration option is for funeral directors and funeral home personnel who just want to explore the Exhibit Hall floor. Get access to the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday and Thursday and connect with old and new exhibitors showcasing their products, services and solutions.

To find more information regarding registration, click here.

Tickets for the annual Convention Party, to be held on September 16 from 9:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at The Balcony, can be purchased separately.

More information on the Convention, including a list of scheduled speakers, featured events and details about the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, can be found on www.njsfda.org/convention.

A Kentucky organ procurement organization has been decertified by the federal government. New Jersey’s only certified OPO is once again under scrutiny over alleged dubious tactics for securing donors.

And both Congress and the federal Department of Health and Human Services continue to probe the activities of OPOs nationwide.

The question for many consumers is whether OPOs can continue to be trusted to act ethically and in the best interests of the donor, the donor’s family and organ recipients.

Key Takeaways

• OPO scandals and investigations have shaken public trust in the organ donation system
• Stronger consent, death-determination and procurement protocols are needed to protect donors and families
• As Congress and HHS continue their investigations, there will likely be more efforts to reform the system and rebuild trust

The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations acknowledges that trust has been shaken and that recent cases have affected donations.

“Recent public concerns fueled by misinformation and heightened public attention surrounding isolated cases has led many Americans to reconsider their decision to register as organ donors, affecting the more than 100,000 patients currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant,” the organization said in an August 2026 statement.

The AOPO had previously reported that the number of decedent donations decreased by more than 2.5 percent in 2025, the first time in more than a decade that donations had dropped. The decrease occurred at a time when OPOs have been under investigations by both HHS and the House Ways and Means Committee, which has held several hearings on problems within the donation system.

The rescinding of the certification of Kentucky-based Network of Hope represents the highest profile consequence of the OPO probes so far. During the investigation into Network of Hope, HHS found:

• A total of 73 patients “with neurological signs incompatible with organ donation”
• Potential donors that were not yet dead when organ procurement began
• Poor communication, assessments, “questionable consent practices” and “misclassification of death, particularly in overdose cases”

The Kentucky investigation also led, in part, to a March 2026 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services memorandum clarifying and strengthening some rules concerning organ donations. Among the concerns was a blurring of lines between OPO representatives and hospital employees. While saying that hospital staff can be used for “some recovery roles,” CMS states that the roles and responsibilities of OPO staff and hospital employees must “remain distinct during patient care and subsequent organ recovery.”

CMS also made it clear that a set standard of time between declaration of cardiac death and the beginning of procurement procedures was needed. A strong protocol for determining consent and dealing with potential ambiguities must be established as well.

New Jersey Sharing Network is alleged to have ignored protocols for both determining that a patient was actually dead before procurement and establishing the accuracy of consent.

A 2025 House Ways and Means Committee letter to New Jersey Sharing Network alleged that the network pushed for the harvesting of organs from a patient who showed signs of life.

But in a more recent case, a family alleged that the network stopped them from removing a man from life support, saying it had ironclad permission from the patient to harvest his organs, according to an NJ.com report.

The network claimed they had permission because the patient had checked the organ donor box on his New Jersey driver’s license in 2021. The family countered that he had rescinded that permission in 2025 and his Muslim faith prevented the desecration of his body.

That discrepancy indicates a deficiency in organ procurement designations that the state Legislature may work to rectify. A-5375 seeks to address the issues of consent and revocation of consent by tightening language and requiring prospective donors to make an informed choice when agreeing to organ donation.

The New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association has suggested several changes in the bill, including the striking of the word “irrevocable” and replacing it with “binding.” The measure should also be more inclusive when discussing donations, according to the NJSFDA. For example, “vital organs” does not cover the scope of donations, which can include tissues, bones, tendons and corneas, among other body parts.

But, overall, consent remains one of the biggest problem areas, and agreeing to organ donation is a significant decision, one that should involve more than checking a box in a license application at the state Motor Vehicles Commission.

“Before a person makes an anatomical gift through any authorized donor registry, the MVC or another authorized entity, the person must be given a standardized written disclosure explaining what the gift means and must affirmatively select the scope and legal effect of the gift,” the NJSDA wrote in a letter outlining its proposed changes to the bill.

Establishing affirmative and informed consent for donation would help create a greater atmosphere of trust, but the procurement procedure is still in need of stronger consumer protections.

Allegations of hospitals ignoring patient rankings and giving donated organs to foreign nationals who pay exorbitant amounts to game the system and alleged safeguard failures of OPOs such as Network of Hope have damaged the system.

The AOPO said it “fully supports actions to strengthen our nation’s organ donation and transplant system and to ensure all stakeholders are held to the highest standards of patient safety, quality and integrity.”

As Congress and HHS continue their investigations, there will likely be more efforts to reform the system and rebuild trust.

By Kiera Scanlan Wespestad

A few weeks ago, we had the honor of leading a large funeral procession that briefly brought Route 23 to a standstill.

For about 15 minutes, traffic paused while a family escorted their loved one back to the family home for a final celebration. Some drivers waited patiently. Others undoubtedly wondered why they couldn't simply get around us.

Which honestly, coming from our viewpoint, is maddening, though understandable.

When you're behind the wheel, your world feels very important. You're running behind in your schedule and have your own life to live.

But when a funeral procession is passing, your story intersects with someone else's.

Funeral processions have existed for thousands of years. Long before cars, communities walked together as they accompanied a loved one to their final resting place. Beyond transporting a body, this procession was a public acknowledgment that a life mattered.

That hasn't changed.

Every car with its hazards flashing represents someone who loved the person ahead of them: a spouse facing tomorrow alone, a granddaughter trying not to cry, a lifelong friend remembering conversations they'll never have again. Inside those cars, time has stopped, even while the rest of the world moves on.

One of my favorite pieces of writing is David Foster Wallace's “This Is Water.” In it, he reminds us that the people slowing us down are almost certainly living stories we know nothing about. A funeral procession makes that invisible story visible.

So the next time you find yourself waiting behind a line of flashing lights, remember that a funeral procession asks something very small of us: a little patience.

One day, each of us may find ourselves in one of those cars, escorting a loved one to their final resting place.

When that day comes, we'll remember everyone that waited. We’ll remember that, in the middle of an ordinary day, strangers quietly acknowledged that a life had been lived, and that it mattered.

Kiera Scanlan Wespestad is president and director of Scanlan’s, Pompton Plains, NJ.

Making coffins in a city struck by Ebola is big business. A funeral home once owned by a man accused of stealing money from families seeking to have their pets cremated is vandalized. And a U.S. Air Force mortuary affairs unit is practicing embalming and body preparation in the field. These stories and more are in the week in funeral news.

NEWS

The Business of Coffin Making in a City Ravaged by Ebola
By Matthew Mpoke Bigg (The New York Times)
Amid a cloud of sawdust and the whine of a buzz saw, Djo Limayo, a carpenter in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was at work building another coffin. Business has been strong for Mr. Limayo since an Ebola outbreak hit the city of Bunia in May. More than a dozen carpentry workshops line the streets. All of them appear to be focused on coffin making. Read more here.

Six Feet Under in Art Coffins That Are Over the Top
By Patricia Leigh Brown (The New York Times)
Posters of the newly deceased are fixtures in public squares throughout the coast of Ghana, their photos bearing headings like “HOME CALL,” “GONE TOO SOON,” “CALL TO GLORY” and–in the case of accidental death–“PAINFUL EXIT.” Read more here.

Funeral Home​ Formerly Owned by Man Accused in Pet Cremation Scandal Vandalized, New Owner Says
By Mamie Bah (CBS News)
A funeral home in Pittsburgh, PA, at the center of a criminal case has been vandalized. The funeral home formerly owned by Patrick Vereb, who is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from pet owners for pet cremations that were never done, was spray-painted with the message, "My dog loved the trash ... jokes on you," according to the building's new owner. Read more here.

Texas Man in Custody After Setting Fire to Funeral Home Construction Site, Investigators Say
By Avery Maurer and Vanessa Croix (KENS 5)
A San Antonio, TX, man is in custody after trying to set a city funeral home on fire. Cody Engel, 41, has been charged with arson of a place of an assembly after a Mission Park Funeral Home, currently under construction, was set on fire during the early morning hours of August 17, 2026. Read more here.

Mortuary Affairs Demonstrates Expeditionary Mortuary During Exercises
By Staff Sergeant Frank Rohrig (Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations)
Personnel assigned to Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations demonstrated the Department of the Air Force’s commitment to operational readiness during military exercises. AFMAO established a simulated expeditionary mortuary environment with several capability-focused workstations, providing participants immersive hands-on training and by deploying the Mobile Embalming Unit, demonstrating an expeditionary mortuary capability in a realistic field environment. Read more here.

Raleigh, NC, Cemetery Buries Someone Else in Family Plot
By Alex Littlehales (WRAL)
A news outlet is asking questions about North Carolina's cemetery oversight after a Wake County family said a stranger's remains were buried in a plot they purchased burial rights for more than a decade ago. Read more here.