Andrew Gray delivered this speech to about 30 people in front of Bolin Fountain on Sept. 11 at 11:30 a.m.

Good morning. I would like to thank all of you for coming. We organized this ceremony to honor those fallen, and honor them we have. I would encourage each and every one of use to keep this day at heart. Keep this ceremony, the lives of those lost, in our minds throughout our day. We have a tendency as people to move on, business as usual, each day equal to another. Let us set this day aside in out hearts as it has been set aside in our history

On this day nearly 3,000 Americans lost their lives. This was an effort to destroy our will by 19 militant extremists. Our way of life was threatened. We were knocked down, as we have been in the past. There was one thing that our enemies didn’t expect. They had forgotten the resilience of the American spirit. Our resolve as a nation, our love for our brother, burns stronger than any bomb, any flame, any attack. Like a sleeping giant we arose to this new found foe, not defeated, but emboldened. We were given a cause on this day to unite. We united in the face of danger and adversity. We united because there is no weapon on this Earth that can defeat the American spirit. No fire that can burn out our way of freedom and mull our way.

We are proud to be Americans. we will fight for our causes. We will not back down. We showed this strength to the world, ally and enemy alike, on this day 14 years ago. When our towers fell, our hearts sank, but they did not falter. They do not falter today. In honor of our service men and women, our fellow countrymen, and the brave men and women who have lost their lives in the pursuit of freedom and liberty, we say thank you.

God bless Midwestern State University, and God Bless the United States of America.

Gray is junior in business administration and management and active in Student Government Association.