ROGERS: TODAY IS A DAY WE CAN NEVER FORGET
DETROIT, MI – Army veteran, former FBI agent, former House Intelligence Committee Chairman, and candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Rogers today penned an op-ed in The Detroit News, sharing his reflections on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Mike Rogers: 9/11 is a day we can never forget
September 10, 2026
Twenty-five years ago today, I watched in horror as Islamic terrorists attacked our country. I will never forget the shock as I learned the North Tower had been hit by a hijacked plane. My heart dropped as we watched innocent Americans jump from the towers trying to escape. We watched in disbelief as survivors emerged from the dark smoke.
I know every American felt that same horror as they watched and listened from their schools, work, and homes. It is a day that we can never forget.
I watched as ordinary Americans like Darya Lin and Frank Boyle called their loved ones before rushing into the burning towers to save people they never knew. I watched first responders searching through Ground Zero to recover the remains of friends and family members who never deserved that fate. We then learned the stories of those like Todd Beamer who left one final wish — to tell his wife and two young sons how much he loved them — before charging into the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93.
Amid the darkness and tragedy of that day, the heroism of those men and women epitomized what it means to be an American. We must always remember their sacrifice.
That evening, as Members of Congress gathered on the East Front steps of the Capitol, I mourned for the 2,977 innocent people killed. I mourned for our country. I also found a glimmer of hope that evening.
There were no Republicans or Democrats that night and in the days to follow. It did not matter where you were from or what you looked like. There were only Americans. We would not let these Islamic terrorists destroy the soul of our country.
I am still inspired by the service of those in America’s darkest hour and the patriotism that swelled in the midst of our grief. It reminds me why I chose to serve this great nation in the U.S. Army as a young college student. Growing up, my dad often told stories of his time serving in the U.S. Air Force. He always spoke in a reverent way that inspired me and my brothers. We knew the stories of his time serving during the Korean War and the stories of his brothers who served in World War II. He never pressured any of us to follow in his footsteps, but we all knew there was no greater honor than wearing the uniform.
That is why I decided to join the U.S. Army. I knew it was an important thing to raise my hand to fight for and defend our American freedoms. It is why I drove from Adrian College to participate in ROTC at the University of Michigan. I am proud to have served my country.
My wife, Kristi, volunteered to serve with the Department of Defense in Iraq. Our son became the 4th generation to serve in the military.
I am proud of our family’s legacy of service. However, I can only imagine answering the same call to service so many made on September 11th, 2001. They did more than serve their country. They sacrificed their lives for it.
So many Americans answered the call inspired by the devastating attacks that day. They left their loved ones and themselves in harm's way to answer the call of that day: “Never again.”
Twenty-five years later, there is an entire generation that does not remember that day or those sacrifices. It is our duty to make sure they understand the evil our country witnessed on September 11th, 2001 and the extraordinary courage with which so many Americans responded.
There should be no equivocation about what happened that day. The nearly 3,000 innocent people murdered by terrorists on that day did not deserve their fate. The brave men and women who rushed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93 did not do so out of hate or prejudice towards anyone.
What happened on that day was a tragedy. It should not be celebrated, it should be mourned.
Today, that is what so many Americans are doing. But we must make sure the next generation of Americans mourn as well. We owe it to the 2,977 lives we lost. We owe it to the heroes who ran towards danger. We owe it to the generations that come after us. Today is a day that we can never forget.
Continue reading at the Detroit News here.
Learn more about Mike Rogers and his plan to Get Michigan Working Again at RogersForSenate.com.
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