09/11/2026
Twenty-five years.
It is hard to believe that a quarter of a century has passed since September 11, 2001. And yet, for so many of us, the memories of that day still feel incredibly close.
We remember where we were. We remember who we were with. We remember watching in disbelief as the world seemed to stop turning. And even after 25 years, the images, the stories and the emotions of that day can bring us right back to that moment.
Today, we remember the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost, the families whose lives were forever changed and the first responders, firefighters, police officers and ordinary people who showed extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
But there is something else I hope we never forget.
In the hours, days and weeks that followed, our differences suddenly didn’t seem so important. We weren’t divided by politics, backgrounds or beliefs. We were neighbors. We were friends. We were Americans.
People showed up for one another. Strangers helped strangers. Communities gathered together. Flags appeared on front porches and street corners across the country. We grieved together, prayed together, supported one another and began the long process of rebuilding and healing together.
Twenty-five years later, I find myself thinking about that sense of unity almost as much as I think about the tragedy itself.
Our country has changed a lot since September 11, 2001. The world has changed. We have changed. But maybe one of the most meaningful ways we can honor those we lost is to remember what we learned in the days that followed: that despite our differences, there is so much more that connects us than separates us.
Today, may we remember the lives lost, honor the heroes who ran toward danger and hold close the families who still carry that loss every day.
And may we never forget what it felt like when an entire country came together as one.
25 years later, we remember.
We will never forget.