I will never forget—like all of you—where I was on September 11, 2001. It was my day off at the camp where I worked in California. Still an early riser, I was up around 6 a.m. PT. I fired up my AOL dial-up internet and saw that a plane had hit the towers. We didn’t know if it was an accident. Minutes later, the second plane hit. We knew.

My fire pager went off. I had been a firefighter for four years and was the company leader at Station 129 (now Station 95) in the San Bernardino Mountains. We went to full staffing until further notice. As I sat at the station with my crew, we watched with the world as the towers fell, the Pentagon was struck, and Flight 93 went down in that field. We lost 343 of our brothers and sisters in the fire service that day—heroes who ran toward danger, not away from it. I am not much of a crier, but I cried that day. Writing this brings those emotions back, even 24 years later.

We must never forget 9/11. But as I run for governor, something else weighs on my heart: September 12. The day after the attack, we woke up to a broken—but kinder—America. We all became Americans. The labels faded. The hateful talk quieted. That argument with a neighbor no longer mattered. People hugged and cried with political rivals. We listened again. We tried to understand each other. From San Francisco to Cheyenne, you couldn’t look anywhere without seeing one flag—the American flag.

We cared less about perfect rules and more about people. We cared less about defending a political team and more about defending each other. We checked on our elderly neighbors. We flew the flag. We prayed.

On September 16, 2001, we filled our churches. We remembered our faith, our foundation, our love for God and country. We asked for forgiveness—from God and from one another. We mended relationships. Many of us turned to Scripture for direction, including this promise:

“If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14

Have we forgotten that spirit? Today, it can feel like we’re more divided than ever. Politicians get clicks and cameras by pitting neighbor against neighbor. Social media rewards outrage over humility. It seems the lessons of September 12 have faded into memory.

But they don’t have to. We get to choose again. We can choose faith over fear, unity over division, and people over politics. The America we saw on September 12 wasn’t perfect, but it was closer to the nation our Founders envisioned—and closer to the nation our children deserve.

Choosing 9/12 today looks simple and ordinary, but it changes everything:

• Fly the flag. Let it remind us we’re one people with a shared story.
• Check on a neighbor. Especially the ones we rarely talk to.
• Say the hard “I’m sorry.” Then say the brave “I forgive you.”
• Show up. School board meetings, food banks, church, veterans’ events—stand shoulder to shoulder.
• Speak kindly. Online, too. It’s contagious.
• Pray. Ask God to heal our land, starting with our own hearts.

As we honor those we lost on 9/11, let’s also remember who we became on 9/12—and strive to be that America once more. That’s what it means to Be Something Different: to love our neighbors, to look for the good, and to do the next right thing—together.

Never forget. And never stop choosing the spirit of September 12.

FAQs

Q1: Is this a political post?
No. It’s a remembrance—and an invitation to live the unity and kindness we showed on 9/12, across differences.

Q2: How do we honor first responders today?
Fly the flag, thank those who serve, support local fire/EMS and law enforcement, donate to trusted relief funds, and live with the courage and compassion they modeled.

Q3: What does “choose 9/12” look like in daily life?
Check on neighbors, volunteer, listen first, speak kindly, and forgive quickly—especially when we disagree.

Q4: Why include Scripture?
Because many of us turned to faith for comfort and guidance in those days. The verse reminds us that humility and prayer lead to healing.

Q5: How can families talk about 9/11 with kids?
Share age-appropriate stories of service, bravery, and unity. Focus on helpers, resilience, and what it means to be an American.