09/13/2026
It was an incredible honor to be part of yesterday’s beautiful Naming Ceremony at the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park, where the granite walls were once again engraved with the names of heroes who have passed away from 9/11-related illnesses.
This year alone, more than 345 names were added to the memorial — each one honoring a 9/11 responder who has since lost their life to an illness connected to their service in the aftermath of the attacks.
But these are not just names carved into stone.
They are the brave men and women who answered the call during our nation’s darkest hours. Each name represents a family who lost someone they loved, a life of service and sacrifice, and a story that deserves to be remembered for generations.
As we vow to never forget the 2,977 innocent lives taken from us on September 11, 2001, we must also never forget those who spent the days, months and even years that followed digging through the rubble at Ground Zero — searching for their brothers and sisters, hoping to bring answers and some measure of closure to families they had never even met.
They went because people needed them.
They did not know then what that service would ultimately cost them. So many sacrificed the chance to live long and healthy lives because of what they were exposed to in those days and months. And if you ask many of them, they will tell you they would have gone anyway.
That is courage. That is service. That is sacrifice.
We owe it to them — and to their families — to honor them always, speak their names and make certain their sacrifice is never forgotten.
My deepest gratitude to the committee behind the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park, and to the countless organizations, advocates and individuals who continue fighting every day to ensure that anyone suffering from a 9/11-related illness has access to the healthcare, resources and support they deserve.
Their fight did not end when the smoke cleared. It continued through years of illness, pain and loss — and for too many families, it ended in heartbreak.
Now, it is our turn to stand with them.
We must ensure that every responder receives the healthcare, support and dignity they earned through their service — and that every family knows their loved one’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.
We will speak their names. We will carry their stories. We will honor their courage for generations to come.
Because “never forget” is not just a promise. It is our responsibility — and we will never forget any of them.