We can never forget. We cannot let those victims and heroes die in vain. History in this instance, must not be left to repeat itself.

The epicenter was lower Manhattan, but the losses were felt everywhere in our great country. Down here in central Florida, I know parents, aunts, cousins, and friends of those killed or terribly affected by the senseless destruction. This circle of affected folks in Florida includes those who went through the same tortured hours following the Pentagon blast.

A little more than two and a half weeks after the mayhem, my wife and I attended a wedding on Block Island, Rhode Island. One young man was asked to say a few words about the wedding celebrants. He was working in lower Manhattan on that day. Fate had him on the ground floor of the first WTC building hit. Amid the chaos he scrambled out of the building and sought refuge in the other twin tower. He was once again at the center of a destructive attack. The second plane hit. He left the second building, hurrying out among the dead and those undergoing triage who were strewn about. When he went to speak at the wedding, the words would not come out. He tried again but once more faltered. After a very brief period, friends consoled him with hugs and kind words and the wedding events went on.

Let us never allow this to happen again.