Today is a day of remembrance.  Many of us remember what we were doing this morning 16 years ago.  Some remember watching those indescribable scenes of horror being looped on the news for hours.  Others distinctly remember the moment the second plane hit the tower and as a nation we knew this was not an accident.   We all remember the anger we felt that our nation was violated and the fear that came with that realization.

Today you will be prompted to remember those that lost their their lives.  Those heroes among us that went into those buildings time and again to rescue total strangers. Those heroes that challenged the hijackers on the plane.  Even those heroes who have lived to tell the tale of others.  They deserve our recognition today and every day.  In fact, all Americans that put themselves into harms way every day all over the globe to protect us and our freedoms deserve to be remembered.  Our first responders, our military personnel, even the ordinary citizens that act extraordinarily when they are needed, they all deserve to be honored and remembered.

Let’s use this day to teach our children that freedom is not free.  Let’s remember everyday that those who serve deserve our thanks, our unending gratitude, they deserve our respect.

May we never forget 9/11 or those that were killed that day.