25 Years Later:
Remembering victims of 9/11
It is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the horrific terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
On that day, 2,977 innocent lives were taken. Behind that number are thousands of families who have lived with an unimaginable loss for the past quarter-century.
My heart breaks for the more than 2,700 children who lost a parent on 9/11. Some were born after their parents were killed. Others were so young that they have little or no memory of them. Today, those children are adults who have grown up only knowing their mother or father through photographs, stories, and the memories of loved ones.
This never should have happened.
Yet in the face of unimaginable tragedy, we also witnessed extraordinary courage and selflessness. Thousands of first responders rushed toward danger to save people they had never met, and in the months and years that followed, countless Americans answered the call to serve our country. That sense of duty has always been personal to me, as my brother answered that same call as a U.S. Marine, serving in Iraq after 9/11 before returning home safely to our family.
We also cannot forget the firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel who gave their lives that day. In the years since, many more members of the 9/11 community have died from cancers and other illnesses linked to their exposure at Ground Zero.
Twenty-five years later, my prayers remain with every family whose life was forever changed. To the families who have carried this loss for 25 years: Thank you for your strength and bravery. We stand with you as we remember your loved ones, their lives, and the memories they left behind.
May we never forget the 2,977 lives taken from us, the children who grew up without a parent, and the heroes who sacrificed themselves to save others.
We will never forget. God bless America.
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