09/11/2026
Twenty-five years ago, our nation was forever changed.
On September 11, 2001, I wasn’t an elected official. I was a young mom and a military wife trying to make sense of the world that suddenly felt different.
Like so many military families, I understood that when our nation is attacked, the impact reaches far beyond the battlefield. It reaches into homes, families, schools, and communities.
I remember feeling fear as I watched the events of that day unfold. I remember the uncertainty of what would come next and the concern for the service members who would soon be called upon to defend our country.
Today, I have the privilege of serving as an elected official, but I still carry the perspective of that young mom and military wife with me.
Twenty-five years later, I think about the lives lost, the first responders who ran toward danger, the courage of ordinary people, the service members who answered the call, and the families who carried the weight of that service.
I also remember the unity that followed. We stood together. We cared for one another. We understood that our strength as a nation comes not only from those who wear a uniform, but from the families and communities who stand with them.
On this 25th anniversary, we honor the nearly 3,000 people we lost, those who sacrificed in the years that followed, and the families who continue to carry their memories.
As we remember, may we never forget the courage, service, sacrifice, and unity that defined the days after 9/11.
