A woman walks along Hudson River at sunrise across from New York's Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, September 11, 2013.
Tribute In Light: Two beams were lit on Tuesday behind the Statue of Liberty in preparation for today's anniversary
Iconic: The tribute shines above the Manhattan skyline. Today the names of almost 3,000 people killed in the World Trade Center and 9/11 attacks will be read out at ground zero
Stunning: The powerful Tribute In Light is one of a number of memorial plans for the 12th anniversary
Ring of light: The Tribute in Light can be seen rising above buildings in lower Manhattan, during a test on Tuesday
Focus: Memorial organizers are expected to take primary responsibility for the annual memorial from next year and say the families of victims will remain the focus of the ceremonies
Hannah Townsend, 25, gives a prayer next to the One World Trade tower at Ground Zero on September 11, 2013 in New York City
Visitors gather at the Wall of Names after a memorial service at the Flight 93 National Memorial on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in Shanksville, Pa. The Wall of Names contains the names of the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93
A photo of New York City Firefighter James Crawford who died during the attacks of September 11, 2001 was put there by his family as they came to participate in the 9/11 Memorial ceremonies marking the 12th anniversary
Antoni Cortes, and his wife Grace clean a portrait of their daughter Adrianed Oyola as they pay their respect to her at the South Pool at the 9/11 Memorial during ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
Hector Garcia of Brooklyn and his daughter Tania hold a placard with a photo of their daughter and sister Marlyn who died in the attacks as they attend ceremonies for the twelfth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on lower Manhattan at the World Trade Center site
A Navy honor guard rings bells as the names of the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93 are read during a memorial service at the Flight 93 National Memorial on Wednesday in Shanksville, Pa
A photo of Jennifer Lynn Kane, who died in the 9/11 terror attacks in New York, lies with flowers at the Garden of Remembrance Memorial in Boston Public Garden on Wednesday
A man reflects on the benches of the Pentagon Memorial at the Pentagon in Washington, DC
A woman gazes at the One World Trade Center as church bells toll for 9/11 victims on the anniversary of the 2001 attacks which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people after two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and one crash landed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Friends and family members gather at the 9/11 Memorial during ceremonies marking the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York
First responders gather in lower Manhattan at the World Trade Center site as the nation commemorates the anniversary of the 2001 attacks which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people after two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and one crash landed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Singer Billy Joel, left, and motorcycle designer and television personality Paul Teutul, Jr., look up at One World Trade Center Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, after they rode with firefighters and first responders with the FDNY Motorcycle Club from FDNY Rescue 1 headquarters to the World Trade Center site
Gail Silke, left, and her niece Erica Tierney trace the name of Gail's brother Steven Bristoll who died while working as a police officer on September 11, 2001
Relatives rub the names listed on the edge of a reflecting pool at the 9/11 Memorial during ceremonies marking the 12th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center
Family members of Ji Yao Justin Zhao pay their respect to him at the South Poll of the 9/11 Memorial during ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
The World Trade Center Flag is presented as friends and relatives of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks gather at the National September 11 Memorial
A woman prays at the edge of the North Pool at the 9/11 Memorial during a ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
Principal Nan Seith, far left, helps students raise the flag to half staff at William Lloyd Meador Elementary School in Willis, Texas, to mark the anniversary
Shanhellen Jiminez, left, of Brooklyn, who lost her mother Elena Ledesma on 9/11, does a crayon rubbing of her mother's name along with her boyfriend, who asked not to be named, at the 9/11 Memorial
Flowers and pictures are displayed by a name along the north reflecting pool at the 9/11 Memorial
Mija Quigley of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, embraces the name of her son Patrick Quigley who died on 9/11
Carrie Bergonia looks over the name of her fiance, firefighter Joseph Ogren, during ceremonies at the 9/11 Memorial marking the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
Janis Lynch holds a photo of her best friend Patricia Massari while walking past the south reflecting pool of the 9/11 Memorial
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, left, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, right, pictured at the ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, left, and current New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, right, at the 9/11 Memorial ceremony to mark the 12th Anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York
President Barack Obama lays a wreath at the Pentagon during a ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the worst terror attack on the U.S.
9/11: Nearly 3,000 people died when four hijacked planes were used in coordinated strikes on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center towers (pictured). The fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania
Poignant: 3,000 flags are placed in memory of those killed on September 11 at a park in Winnetka, Illinois
