Twenty-five years ago today, America changed forever.
On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 innocent people went to work, boarded airplanes, reported for duty, or simply began an ordinary Tuesday morning—and never came home. We watched in horror as our nation was attacked, but we also witnessed extraordinary courage: first responders running toward danger, strangers helping strangers, and Americans standing together as one people.
I was a freshman in college that morning. I had always been a history buff, fascinated by the people and events that shaped our country. But September 11 changed the way I looked at the world. History was no longer confined to books or generations before us. We were living it.
From that day forward, I became much more focused on current events, the challenges facing our country, and America’s place in the world. More than any other single event in my life, September 11 instilled in me a desire to step up, serve my community, and eventually pursue a life in public service.
Twenty-five years later, I think about the firefighters, police officers, first responders, and ordinary Americans who showed us what courage looks like. I think about the men and women who answered our nation’s call to military service, including those who never returned home. And I think about the families who have carried an empty seat at their tables for a quarter century.
But I also remember September 12.
For a moment, we weren’t defined by politics or the things that divided us. American flags hung everywhere. Churches filled. Neighbors looked after one another. We were Americans first—united by grief, resolve, and love of country.
A generation has grown up with no memory of that day. It is our responsibility to teach them what happened, remember those we lost, honor those who ran toward danger, and cherish the freedoms generations of Americans have sacrificed to defend.
May God bless the fallen, those who answered the call to serve, and the United States of America.
We will never forget. 🇺🇸