Oklahomans Remain Resilient
Our country will never be the same. Our lives as we knew them ended while we watched terrorists attack innocent civilians in our beloved nation on September 11, 2001. As I reflect on the past two decades, I recognize all that our country lost and sacrificed on that fateful day, and in the days that followed, how we unified to preserve our American values of strength and freedom that terrorists sought to destroy.
Sadly, Oklahomans in the 5th district intimately understood and empathized with this tragedy, as just six years prior to 9/11, Oklahoma City experienced a horrific domestic attack that killed 168 people, 19 of whom were children, and injured more than 500 innocent civilians. In the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, we lost the people closest to us: our immediate family, our best friends, and our neighbors. Oklahomans knew what it was like to mourn loved ones lost in a senseless act of terror.
We also knew what it was like to overcome this tragedy and emerge with unity and strength. Oklahomans stepped up and banded together in our darkest hour. We leaned on each other and rebuilt our city together, to honor and always remember those lost.
On September 11, 2001, we watched the unimaginable: another brutal terrorist attack on our homeland with nearly three thousand deaths, including seven from our state. Oklahomans were quick to help our fellow Americans through one of the worst days in United States’ history by volunteering, supporting families of the lost, and continuing to hold events of commemoration.
Undoubtedly, our nation will always feel the pain of these horrific attacks on our homeland. Twenty years later, we continue to mourn those who perished and pray for those who have suffered. We will also never forget how our country truly embodied the American spirit by unifying, serving one another, and acting selflessly in our darkest hour for the good of our country. We are also forever grateful for the incredibly brave men and women who risk their lives daily to ensure our country’s safety and security. Because of their heroism, our nation remains resilient.