Fifteen years ago today, we all lost something.

For friends, colleagues and loved ones in New York, D.C. — and the departure/destination cities of U.S. flights — the impact is almost unimaginable.

No matter where you were, you probably remember that awful day.

We shared shock, horror  and despair as a collective, American experience.

It broke our hearts.

It also showed us the unmistakable courage of firefighters, other emergency workers, people working in the towers, airline staff and passengers and others. They all stood up — selflessly, in the face of danger — to help people.

Over a decade later, we’re still trying to make sense of what happened.. But, for those of us old enough to remember it, I’m pretty sure of three things:

1. We’ll never forget that devastating day — or the crushing anxiety and inconsolable grief it brought.
2. We still mourn those we lost and feel grateful for the friends, colleagues and loved ones who survived.
3. We’ll always be in the debt of those who sacrificed everything to protect and save the lives of people around them.

They say time heals all wounds. Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn’t. Either way, September 11th has left us with a scar that will never really fade.

That’s because we’ll never forget what we lost — or what so many American heroes gave us that day.

That’s what we mean when we say #neverforget.