Twenty-five years ago, America awoke to a beautiful September morning. By day’s end, our country – and world – had changed forever.

Hi. I’m State Senator Julian Bradley. The events of September 11, 2001 will always be etched indelibly in my memory.

As images of the attacks flashed across our TV screens, a stunned nation struggled to make sense of the unimaginable.

Then the terrible truth sunk in. This was no accident.

The Pentagon was hit. The towers fell. Flight 93 went down in a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 innocent people would never return home.

We remember the horror of that day. But 25 years later, I think it’s just as important to remember what happened next.

That evening, I watched President Bush address the nation. He reminded us all that “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.” Faced with fear and uncertainty, Americans chose to stand together.

First responders ran head first into danger. Volunteers poured in to help. Complete strangers reached out to one another simply because they were fellow Americans.

Today, we’re constantly reminded of what divides us. Turn on the television or scroll through social media, and those divisions can seem overwhelming. But division does not define America. Not today, and not ever.

I still see neighbors helping neighbors, communities rallying around families in need, and ordinary people stepping forward with no expectation of recognition or reward.

September 11th showed us, under the worst imaginable circumstances, what Americans are capable of when we stand together.

An entire generation has now grown up without memories of September 11th. It’s our responsibility to tell them what happened that day – and in the days that followed; how unity emerged from tragedy. May we never forget.

I’m State Senator Julian Bradley. Thanks for listening.