This week marks the 25th observance of 9/11. It is hard to believe that a quarter-century has passed since that fateful day.
It was 8:46 AM on September 11, 2001, when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. Everything changed after that. As we commemorate 9/11, it is important that we never forget the 2,977 victims who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as well as the hundreds of first responders and recovery workers who gave their lives running toward the chaos that day. Then-President George W. Bush spoke for the nation when he said, "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve."
Years ago, my family and I visited Ground Zero at the base of the Twin Towers. We were struck by the serenity and quietness that had, over time, replaced what was once the scene of an unspeakable tragedy. It was amongst the many visitors that day- the living- that we were able to more deeply appreciate and remember those who had perished. May we continue to honor their memory.
During the busy beginning-of-school stretch, this annual somber reflection can be lost in the shuffle of all-consuming activities and schedules. But it is incumbent upon all of us to help young people understand this turning point in our recent history and never forget the significance of so many lives lost and a nation devastated. It was in those bleak moments, and their aftermath, that our national character and resolve were tested. Those tests were passed, our nation continues to show strength and resilience, and we must keep 9/11 in our collective memory.