On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was on a service call for Mullin Plumbing. When the first plane crash was reported, my customer pulled me from my work and told me I needed to see something. We stood in front of the television and neither of us knew what to say.
Most of us can remember where we were when we heard that planes had crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania. And we can remember the days that followed— the sadness we felt for the loss of far too many innocent lives and the pain and anger we felt on behalf of our great nation.
Communities across the country came together in support of first responders, church pews were full of people trying to make sense of what had happened, and parents struggled to find a way to explain the events of that day to their children. We rallied around each other and our country. We hugged our loved ones a little longer before we left the house in the days and weeks forward, because our world had forever changed.
The tragic events of September 11, 2001, taught us the need to be constantly vigilant. The subsequent attacks we have seen at home and abroad are reminders that we cannot let our guard down for a single moment. Vigilance has become our new normal.
I am grateful for law enforcement and for the men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line every day to watch over our nation. Their sacrifices and hard work are things we will never be able to repay.
In the face of tragedy, we were also reminded that each day is a blessing, and while we do not know how many days we have, we know that we can strive to be the best version of ourselves each day. Through everyday acts of compassion, kindness, and sacrifice, we can demonstrate what makes America so special.
Addressing the nation after the greatest terrorist attack in U.S. history, then-President George W. Bush said that terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. He said that although the acts had shattered steel, they could not dent the steel of America’s resolve.
Fourteen years after 9/11 there are still great evils in the world, but America is strong. We will stand firmly against those evils. We will stand against the hatred, violence and religious intolerance they represent, and we will continue to show those who seek to tear us down that they will never succeed.
