09/03/2026
Today we remember with profound respect the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks: men, women, and children whose lives were taken that day, as well as those who were forever changed by that tragedy.
In front of the ruins of the World Trade Center, three New York firefighters raised the American flag. That image became a symbol of grief, courage, unity, and hope.
In Sandy, Utah, sculptor Stan Watts transformed that historic photograph into Hope Rising, a bronze sculpture approximately 9 feet tall. The monument was unveiled on September 10, 2011, marking the tenth anniversary of the attacks.
But beyond the bronze and the image it represents, this monument reminds us of those who were there: the victims, firefighters, police officers, rescuers, workers, and citizens who faced one of the most painful days in our history.
May we never forget.
May their lives never be reduced to a date.
May their memory endure.
