A Pentagon first responder relives his 9/11 rescue, 25 years on

Across the US, memorials have been held to mark 25 years since the September 11 attacks and remember the lives lost. Al Jazeera spoke to Art Castellano, a deputy sheriff in Arlington County who was just outside the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building.

Coming home afterwards brought no relief, he says, describing lasting guilt over those who did not make it out. For thousands of first responders, the toll of that day continued for years, as mental health struggles and exposure to toxic dust and chemicals took a lasting physical toll, with many not warned of the health risks until people began falling ill.

Twenty-five years on, Castellano has one message for the next generation: keep it in your heart.

Al Jazeera's Tanya Noury reports from Washington, DC.

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