Orrin Hatch: “I remember September 11, 2001, as if it were yesterday. I was here in my office at my desk when the unthinkable…”

“I remember September 11, 2001, as if it were yesterday. I was here in my office at my desk when the unthinkable happened. I remember driving to the Senate that morning thinking it was such a beautiful day. It was a crisp fall morning with a remarkable blue sky. Over the years, I have often wondered how such resplendence could occur amid such evil and suffering. I take solace in knowing that nearly 3,000 innocent victims, including 3 Utahns, hopefully touched the face of God that day. Yet since that horrible day, Americans have once again risen to the challenge. As President George W. Bush said 3 months after the attacks: Our enemies have made the mistake that America's enemies always make. They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness. But 10 years on, Americans have shown, once again, our resolve can never be broken. When confronted by evil, we will not yield. I remember on that day I came over here to the Senate, and we were told to evacuate the Capitol. As we walked out--some running as fast as they could--and walked down the steps of the Senate side of the Capitol, I turned around and saw that Senator Helms was back up on the veranda, and he was having difficulties, as he did in his later years, with ambulation, and I walked back up the steps, and he leaned on my arm as we came down the steps and were among the last to leave the Capitol at that time.…”