September 11th, 2001 is a day that changed the lives of many Americans: 4 planes were hijacked, with 3 of those planes flying into two very important buildings in the US, the Pentagon and the World Trade Center Towers. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives; that figure includes 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher floors.

On Patriot Day, we honorably and solemnly pause to remember those who perished on that day in 2001; the first responders; every rescuer who died in honor; and those who never returned.