09/11/2026
We still remember 🌹
Twenty-five years later, one lesson from Sept. 11 still matters: how we care for one another.
In this reflection, Clint Wenger, executive director of Supply Chain and Support Services, shares a perspective on remembrance, service and the enduring impact of Sept. 11, 2001.
"Sept. 11, 2001, is a day forever etched into our nation’s history. This year, as we mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, I invite all of you to pause and remember the lives lost, the families who continue to carry that loss, and the countless people whose lives were forever changed by the events of that day.
25 years later, we remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in New York City, at the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. We remember their families and loved ones, for whom Sept. 11 is much more than a moment in history, it is deeply personal.
We also remember the extraordinary courage demonstrated by firefighters, police officers, emergency medical professionals, military personnel, healthcare workers, and countless others who answered the call to serve.
In the midst of unimaginable tragedy, their actions demonstrated courage, compassion, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to others.
Those qualities remain visible in our communities today.
Across CentraCare, members of our emergency services and healthcare teams serve our patients and communities around the clock. Throughout the communities we call home, firefighters, law enforcement officers, ambulance crews, dispatchers, emergency responders, and many others stand ready when people need them most. On this anniversary, we offer a special thank you to each of them, and to the families who support them and share in the sacrifices that come with a life of service.
Sept. 11 also changed the course of life for an entire generation of military service members and their families. Within CentraCare, we are fortunate to work alongside veterans whose military service was shaped by the events of that day and the years that followed. Many deployed far from home, often multiple times, while their spouses, children, parents, friends, and loved ones carried additional responsibilities and made sacrifices of their own.
To our veterans, active service members, military families, first responders, emergency services professionals, and their families — thank you.
Perhaps one of the most enduring lessons from Sept. 11 is the importance of caring for one another. In the hours and days following the attacks, Americans witnessed tremendous acts of courage, service, compassion and unity. People stepped forward to help others without first asking who they were or where they came from.
25 years later, that spirit of service is still worth remembering.
As members of the CentraCare community, we have the opportunity to honor those who lost their lives not only through remembrance, but also through how we care for one another and the communities we serve.
On Sept. 11, we remember those we lost. We honor those who answered the call to serve. We recognize the families who sacrificed alongside them."
And we offer our gratitude to those who continue to serve our communities every day."
