Our son, Nalin, was born days before 9/11. The world he came into changed in an instant. Our security as Americans was taken away, and we witnessed true evil right before our eyes. Like many parents, we've struggled to explain to him and our daughter, who was three, how horrific that day was, and the enormous grief of an entire country. It's hard to describe the horror, followed by the outpouring of love Americans had for one another, resolved not to let evil win. Flags appeared on porches that had never flown them. First responders ran toward danger while the rest of the country found ways to support them. When sports came back, people in stadiums stood and sang proudly together. There was a feeling of unity that many had never known before and haven't known since. My children and their generation only know the world they inherited after 9/11. It is our responsibility to tell our stories and make sure we never forget what we experienced: the lives lost and the way this country answered its worst hour by showing our greatest strength—the goodness of the American people.

On this solemn day, we remember and honor the lives of those we lost in the terrorist attacks 25 years ago on 9/11, including UA members Felix Calixte, Thomas Kelly, and Arturo Sereno. We are reminded that even in our darkest moments, Americans come together as one nation.