A day forever marked by sadness and patriotism was struck by a sight of beauty this year, as a stunning double rainbow emerged over a dark afternoon New York City skyline on Monday.
The day marked 22 years since the Sept. 11 attacks struck the city, and the skies had been filled with dark clouds and storms to fit the mood. But the gloom was soon interrupted by the two colorful arches stretching over Manhattan, seeming to start near the One World Trade Center and going beyond the Empire State Building.
Photos and videos of the stunning sight immediately spread across social media, including one by Colleen Cavanaugh, who captured an Instagram post of the double rainbow with, "A brighter end to a sad day."
Users in the comments agreed, with one saying, "...nature is truly amazing, even more so on this poignant day of remembrance for an extraordinarily tragic day." Another said the sight prompted tears, while others called it "spectacular" and an image that "makes me gasp."
The city's official X account captioned a photo of the double rainbow with, "The calm and peace after the storm," along with #NeverForget.
It followed a day of tributes and memorials, a common occurrence on the date to remember the tragedy and those lost to it.
That morning, relatives of the deceased joined politicians and first responders at Ground Zero, where the names of all 2,977 people who died that day were read aloud as part of an annual tradition.
Some people who saw the double rainbow said it was a sign from their loved ones watching over them, telling them they were still watching and with them.
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