“Twenty years after September 11, 2001, the wrenching memory is still fresh of how the towers fell, the Pentagon burned, and a Pennsylvania field went up in flames. We remember because our hearts broke for those nearly 3,000 lives lost, the thousands who were injured, and the families and friends they left behind who are still living with that crack in their hearts. And while we remember the horrors of that morning, we also remember the heroes who demonstrated extraordinary bravery, selflessness, and compassion. We remember the first responders, men and women in uniform, and ordinary Americans who ran headfirst into fire and falling buildings to save others. And we remember the passengers of Flight 93, who made the most courageous choice and put the lives of others before their own.

“Today, we pray for the families and communities of those who we lost, we pray for the survivors who continue to carry this day, and pray for the heroes who were there for us. There are some days when it feels like goodness has failed and evil has won out. Let us remember this day as the time we decided to ensure that the ideals attacked on September 11, 2001 never fade away and that they live on in the memory of the souls we lost, the hearts of those that are still healing, and the spirits of the heroes who protected us.”