Friday, September 11, is Patriot Day, the National Day of Service and Remembrance, or 9/11 Day, honoring the memory of those who tragically lost their lives in the attacks on September 11, 2001, and reminding us of the country's resilience and solidarity in the face of adversity. Flags fly at half-staff, and Americans pause to remember and reflect.
This anniversary marks 25 years since nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and in the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We also remember the more than 400 heroic first responders and civilians who died trying to save others, and those who suffered lasting health impacts from that day.
The nation changed forever on September 11, 2001. The terrorist attacks led to conversations and reflection on our American identity, security, patriotism, and service, and to the strong bonds of unity and service formed in the long days that followed, when we came together as a nation to turn grief into positive action.
Patriot Day began in 2002, and the addition of a National Day of Service and Remembrance in 2009 underscored the significance of channeling the mood of unity into acts of kindness and service. We honor the spirit of sacrifice made that day by pledging to do one or more charitable actions as a tribute to the victims, survivors, and those who rose up in response to the attacks.
We will remember again this year by flying the flag at half-staff on Friday and observing a country-wide moment of silence beginning at 7:46 a.m. (CST), the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In memory of all the victims, in gratitude for all who responded.
We will always honor and remember every life that was lost on 9/11, and those who helped to rebuild. In an incredibly dark time in our history, we came together in the spirit of unity and service.
Take a moment tomorrow, Patriot Day, to honor those lives lost, keep hope for the future, and consider what we stand for as a nation and how we can work together to make our nation and the world a more peaceful and better place for all.