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Lara Spencer has a vivid imagination of her 9/11 experience.

The “Good Morning America” host revealed that she was six months pregnant when the attacks suddenly changed her live report for ABC News.

Twenty-five years later, Lara Spencer is revisiting the heartbreaking moments with a photograph that was taken two days afterward. The image showed families posting photographs of missing loved ones along 14th Street.

Lara Spencer Will ‘Never Forget’ Her 9/11 Experience

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The reporter took to her Instagram to revisit the incident that happened 25 years ago. Spencer was working as an ABC News correspondent during fashion week on September 11, 2001.

She revealed that she was six months pregnant with her first child when Charlie Gibson cut into her live report. Spencer said Gibson reported that a commuter plane appeared to have gone off course and hit the World Trade Center.

The situation became terrifying when a second plane struck the other tower. Spencer and her crew immediately understood that the first crash was not an accident. They were moved downtown as the scale of the unfolding disaster became clearer.

Their movement through Manhattan soon became impossible because of the crowds. They reached 23rd Street but could not continue toward the towers. 

Spencer described seeing a “sea of people” rushing uptown through the middle of the avenue. The account came directly from Spencer’s September 11 reflection on Instagram. In her words:

“We made it to 23rd Street and couldn’t get further bc of the sea of people rushing uptown on foot in the middle of the avenue— trying to get as far away from the towers as they could.”

The former correspondent at ABC News explained that her crew watched people desperately trying to get as far from the towers as possible. The post also recalled the moment the first tower fell, leading her to conclude the lengthy caption by writing, “My heart still breaks thinking of those families-desperately holding onto hope. I will never forget.”

The Photograph Captured Families Desperately Searching

Spencer’s most painful memory came two days after the attacks. She took a photograph on 14th Street as families posted pictures of missing loved ones.

They were hoping that someone, anyone, might have information about the people they had lost. The post also prompted emotional reactions from people who remembered watching the attacks unfold.

One commenter recalled Charlie Gibson, Diane Sawyer, and Robin Roberts trying to explain what had happened on television.  Another said, “I lived in the city then, too-I’ll never forget that time.” 

Other commenters remembered experiencing the attacks from very different places. One person said she was home with her nine-month-old daughter when she watched the second tower fall live. The post also drew the simple but powerful response from a commenter, “NEVER FORGET.”

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America Marks 25 Years Since The Attacks

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The anniversary arrived with ceremonies in New York City, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The events honored those killed at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight 93 crash site. At least 2,977 people died in the initial attacks, with thousands more later dying from related illnesses. New York’s ceremony included relatives reciting the names of those who died.

Families held photographs and remembered milestones their loved ones never experienced, including grandchildren and a Knicks championship. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and other musicians performed as the ceremony included bells and moments of silence. Four living former presidents attended the New York commemoration with their spouses.

The event also brought political opponents together, including former mayor Rudy Giuliani and current mayor Zohran Mamdani. The ceremony remained a notable moment of unity despite America’s growing political divisions. The broader anniversary coverage came from NRP reports.

At the Pentagon, President Trump said the losses suffered will never be forgotten. During the moment, Trump reportedly justified the military operations against the menace of radical Islam. The report also highlighted families seeking answers, first responders, post-9/11 service, and continuing debates over the attacks’ national legacy.

Spencer’s Career And Family After Her 9/11 Experience 

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Spencer’s connection to ABC News also began before she became a familiar face on “Good Morning America.” The Hollywood Reporter reported in 2011 that she was leaving The Insider after seven seasons for ABC News. She had previously worked as an ABC News correspondent and at New York’s WABC.

Her new “GMA” role began as a lifestyle anchor, with responsibilities covering entertainment, family and parenting. She also focused on health, fitness and work-life balance stories and contributed to Nightline. ABC News president Ben Sherwood praised her “versatility and vitality” when announcing the move.

The executive producer, Linda Bell Blue of “The Insider” and “Entertainment Tonight,” said Spencer’s exit was a “bittersweet” one. Bell Blue said she is grateful for Spencer’s contribution since day one of “The Insider.” She also wished her well while respecting her decision to leave. 

In March 2026, Spencer shared her morning routine with PEOPLE for their Good Morning series. She revealed that she wakes at 4:10 a.m. She has to be on air for “Good Morning America” by 7 a.m. She said her first thought each morning is whether her son Duff and daughter Kate are okay.

Her personal life has also included a long marriage to Rick McVey. The couple reportedly celebrated eight years of marriage during a Sicily getaway after marrying in Vail on September 1, 2018. Spencer’s career and family remain intertwined, especially as her children have grown older.

Lara Spencer And Richard McVey’s Family Life

Spencer and McVey met on a blind date after being introduced by a mutual friend. They dated for two years before marrying and blending their families. McVey has three adult daughters from a previous marriage, while Spencer shares Duff and Kate with David Haffenreffer.

Their marriage has included several memorable trips together. They celebrated their third anniversary in Capri and along Italy’s Amalfi Coast in 2021. Their eighth anniversary brought them to Sicily, where Spencer shared photographs from Taormina and Ortigia, as shared by PEOPLE

Spencer also recently reflected on watching her daughter prepare to leave for college. She wrote that she drove Kate to her senior year at her dream school and cherished the 14-hour mother-daughter journey. She remembered her mother’s saying, “The days are long but the years fly by.”

Lara Spencer’s recollection of September 11, 2001, remains a memory of a city running from danger, families searching for answers, and a moment she will “never forget.”

The ‘GMA’ Host Lara Spencer’s 9/11 Experience Involves Pregnancy And A ‘Sea Of People’ first appeared on The Blast