Frank Culbertson, Expedition 3 Commander aboard the @Space_Station, captured this photo as smoke rose from the Twin Towers in New York City 25 years ago today.
We pause to reflect on that terrible day and pay tribute to the victims, survivors, and heroes of the 9/11 attacks.
Twenty-five years ago today, we lost 2,977 souls and in the years since, thousands more to illnesses caused by the attack on our country.
This morning, Jill and I hold close the families who carry that loss every day. We honor the heroes of September 11th: the firefighters and police officers who rushed into the towers and the Pentagon, the passengers who fought back over Shanksville, and the generation that stepped up to serve in the aftermath.
Even now, we remember the greatest lesson of one of our nation's darkest days: at our most vulnerable, unity is our most powerful strength.
We will never forget.
25 years have passed since September 11, 2001. A generation has grown up in the years since, but our responsibility to remember has not changed.
We remember the people who went to work that morning and never came home, and we remember the families who have carried their memories every day since.
We will continue to tell their stories, honor their lives, and express our enduring gratitude for the heroism shown that day.
25 years ago, the Sept. 11th tragedy left us forever changed. Today, we pause to remember the Americans who lost their lives β as well as the survivors and the heroes of that day.
We will never forget: https://t.co/uf7bSE315E
Happy Patriot Day and TGIF! Weird to prefix it with "Happy" because I remember 9/11/01 vividly and it was horrifying to witness. But it's important to never forget and celebrate the heroes even while we mourn the victims.ππΊπΈ
The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and theyβll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.
What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis. π¦
I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. Weβre in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things. π @dollyparton
Tonight, the Empire State Building tower lights will turn to a pink sparkle at 9:25 to honor the late Dolly Parton.
Dolly was a global cultural icon whose seven-decade career reached generations of fans. Beyond entertainment, Dolly leaves a significant philanthropic legacy through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, which has provided hundreds of millions of books to children worldwide.
At Nine-Two-Five tonight, we celebrate her and her legacy π
Simply put, Dolly Parton was an American original. She was an inspiration to millions. She was a relentless advocate for women and for equality. Through her Imagination Library, she placed the gift of reading into the hands of millions of children because she understood literacy is the foundation of opportunity.
But perhaps most importantly, Dolly treated everyone with kindness and respect. She lived her values with a flair and vitality for life that was uniquely her own. She was a trailblazer in every sense of the word, and she will be missed by millions around the world.
Jill and I are keeping her family, her friends, and her millions of fans in our prayers.
God bless Dolly Parton.
Our team, our local program partners, and every operational partner who helps make this program possible each month are heartbroken at the loss of our founder, Dolly Parton. (cont.)