'Gone longer than he was alive': Family remembers life, legacy of Bucks County 9/11 victim

September 11th, 2001 change America forever today. 25 years later, we come together as a nation to remember the shock and the sweeping consequences of the deadly attacks. Remember it very well here. Most importantly, we remember the nearly 3000 people who never came home. They include 18 bucks County residents who will be remembered at the Garden of Reflection, a memorial dedicated in their honor. Action is reporter Sharifa Jackson is live in Lower Mayfield Township ahead of the ceremonies planned today. Sharifa. Good morning. Good morning, Matt. Good morning, Aliana. And when we talk about those 18 residents from Bucks County, we have to talk about Joshua Reese. And you can see I'm joined with some guests here with his mother, Judy and also his brother, John. We talk about these milestone years. Every year is difficult. Tell me about 25 years. You said it was just hard for you to accomplish. It's hard to wrap my arms around 25 years. I mean, Josh only lived 23. And I look at everything that was taken from him and taken from all of us because he was I had five Children. He was the second, but he was the ringleader. He was the I don't know the glue. Sometimes it held everybody together. And 25 years is like when I opened my eyes this morning, it was almost like it was yesterday. The pain is still there. The shock that this could even happen. I just kind of take a deep breath and but it's a long, it's a long time in some ways. And it's yesterday and others. It's hard to explain to people. It's it's just really, really difficult. Josh was the biggest smile, the happiest kid. It's hard. It's just really hard. And I know, John, you don't typically speak publicly 25 years. You wanted to speak. Tell me just how you're feeling in this moment. Well, it's really interesting. Um, I was 15 when everything happened and I'm 40 now, and it's still very surreal. And, um, what really gets to me after all these years is how much Josh has missed. Uh, all the siblings are married. We all have kids. I have two little girls, Vivian and Faye, that are just learning about really Uncle Josh this year. And it's wild to put a number like 25 on it. Quarter century. It's just something you can't imagine 25 years ago getting to this point. And now looking back 25 years, like my mom said, it still feels like it's yesterday. You want people to know about him when we constantly hear the phrase to never forget and never forget the victims. What do you want people to know about him that he was someone who was loved and he loved his family and he loved life and he loved the Eagles, which and he loved the Grateful Dead and he loved fish and he loved the University of South Carolina where he went to school. Um, but one thing I do know about him now is he's reunited with our dad for the first time in 25 years, which is bittersweet in a lot of ways. But he is proud of what my mom has accomplished over these last 25 years. I want to say for you to give back in a sense, turning your grief into advocacy. What does that mean again? Also being here for this event? How important? I don't want 9 11 to become two lines in a history book that since teachers and I was one, um, spend two months on explorers and never get to the 20th century. I want him to be and everyone to be more than two lines that maybe they get to at the end of June or the middle of June in school. I think everyone that died that day had a family. Everyone that died that they had a story. Josh's story was in some ways 23 years old and a trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He had been stolen from another company. They cherry picked him. This was the kid, even the company he worked with. One of the people called me and said this was a kid that walked in in the morning was such a smile that we all smiled when he did. He always had, um, an optimistic attitude. But Josh would have said to me, Don't cry. Don't be sad. Get even. And to me, getting even would be living the best life I can. And for me, the way I was raised, living a good life means giving back, make making the world a little better because you're here, not just taking the giving. And that's what I really started to do was to give back to my community. Everyone was so kind to us and still are. Um, the garden was built. I admit I was pretty much of a mess in the beginning. Um, I really had trouble just getting out of bed in the morning. But I worked with Grace Gottschalk. She should rest in peace. She was a friend even before she lost her son, Bill. I worked with her. I worked with Tara Bain. I worked with Sue Berger, and we worked hard to have a fitting memorial. We didn't want just a statute. We wanted something living and giving back to the community park. We know in just a few hours, hundreds of people, they will be here for this special memorial service, which is set to begin at 8 30. And we'll be there live. And thank you guys so much once again for coming so early this morning to share all of that. Thank you so much. Back to you guys. We thank the family, too. I mean, we're getting emotional here in the studio listening for those words. Thanks so much. Josh's family's pain still so very palpable. 25 years later, very evident.