If you’re looking for the right quotes about 9/11 — to remember, to reflect, to share — you’ve landed in the right place.
Whether you want something hopeful, something honoring heroes, or something simple you can share with family, this article has your solution.
Just scroll down, pick the heading that fits your mood, and you’ll find 13 quotes under each.
We’ve even highlighted one best pick under each heading so you can pick quickly.
🤝 Quotes of Unity and Togetherness
Best pick: Even the smallest act of service … is a way to honor those we lost. — Barack Obama
- We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. — George W. Bush
- On September 11 we came together as one. — John Kerry
- The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit; instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. — Rudy Giuliani
- When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing is impossible. — Jeff Parness
- America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. — Harry S. Truman
- The lesson of 9/11 is that America is truly exceptional. — Rudy Giuliani
- In grief, as in defiance, we are all Americans. — Benjamin Netanyahu
- What separates us from the animals … is our ability to mourn people we’ve never met. — David Levithan
- On that terrible day, a nation became a neighborhood, all Americans became New Yorkers. — George Pataki
- When ordinary people are faced with the extraordinary, they become heroes. — (anonymous)
- We saw strangers becoming friends, front-porches with flags and a moment of unity. — (anonymous)
- Resilience is built when people stand together, in sunrise and shadow. — Michael Bloomberg
💪 Quotes of Strength and Resilience
Best pick: Life is short and there is no time for hate. — Sandy Dahl
- These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. — George W. Bush
- September 11 revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage. — Geraldine Brooks
- A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. — George W. Bush
- Heroes emerged not because they sought glory but because they answered the call. — (anonymous)
- Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act in the face of fear. — (anonymous)
- After the worst day, we showed the best in all of us. — John Kerry
- Triumph is built on the ashes of adversity. — (anonymous)
- When the alarm sounded, ordinary people made extraordinary choices. — (anonymous)
- The darkest night taught us to value the dawn. — (anonymous)
- We did not shrink back; we stepped forward. — (anonymous)
- Strength is measured not just in muscle but in compassion. — (anonymous)
- The memory of loss forever fuels the will to rebuild. — (anonymous)
🌈 Quotes of Hope and Healing
Best pick: Even the simplest act of kindness is a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11. — Barack Obama
- Life is fleeting, impermanent, and uncertain. We must make use of every moment. — Deepak Chopra
- The world we knew changed that day, but what we build next is up to us. — (anonymous)
- In mourning we remember; in remembrance we heal. — (anonymous)
- There is a tomorrow after every yesterday, and we make it brighter. — (anonymous)
- Each act of goodwill keeps the memory alive and the wounds softening. — (anonymous)
- We didn’t just survive — we renewed our devotion to freedom. — Rudy Giuliani
- Even after the tragedy, good works and public service took root. — Michael Bloomberg
- The kids who lost parents grew up; new life was born; hope persisted. — Michael Bloomberg
- Healing begins when we reach out instead of turning away. — (anonymous)
- The unanswered phone calls became stories of love and courage. — (anonymous)
- The blue sky morning turned into black night, yet the sun returned. — Michael Bloomberg
- Hope is not merely a word, it is the action we take. — (anonymous)
🚒 Quotes Honoring Heroes and Sacrifice
Best pick: With almost no time to decide, [your loved ones] gave the entire country an incalculable gift. — Bill Clinton
- What separates us from chaos is our ability to mourn people we’ve never met. — David Levithan
- The calls from the planes, the funerals of children — we will remember. — George W. Bush
- Ordinary people given no time at all to decide did the right thing. — Bill Clinton
- We will remember every family that lives in grief. — George W. Bush
- Rescuers ran into smoke and fire so others might live. — (anonymous)
- Heroism is not an act of the few but a decision of many. — (anonymous)
- The last phone calls echo louder than the towers that fell. — (anonymous)
- They didn’t wait for orders, they answered the alarm. — (anonymous)
- In honor we find purpose; in sacrifice we find meaning. — (anonymous)
- The fire and ash, the last moments — we will never forget. — George W. Bush
- Let us build lives worthy of their bravery. — (anonymous)
🕯️ Quotes of Remembrance and Reflection
Best pick: Time is passing. Yet, for the United States … there will be no forgetting September the 11th. — George W. Bush
- We will always remember the victims of the horrific terror attacks of September 11th. — Chris Sununu
- The tragedy of September 11th was so sudden … that this country and the world went into immediate and prolonged shock. — Allen Klein
- The morning that began like any other ends in our memory forever. — (anonymous)
- We must never allow September 11th to become a time for protest and division. — Timothy Dolan
- Though we can never unsee what happened here, we can also see what grew from it. — Michael Bloomberg
- The entire world watched as we lost and as we chose to rise. — (anonymous)
- This day is a mirror: we look back to know where we must go forward. — (anonymous)
- On September 11, I always take the day off … it is a day I both mourn and celebrate. — Genelle Guzman-McMillan
- The attack forced us all to look at the world in a different way. — Joanne Woodward
- When the sky changed, our hearts changed. — (anonymous)
- In memory we honor; in action we remember. — (anonymous)
- The seeds of unity were planted in the ashes of that day. — (anonymous)
🇺🇸 Quotes of Patriotism and Freedom
Best pick: The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. — Rudy Giuliani
- America was not built on fear. America was built on courage. — Harry S. Truman
- The lesson of 9/11 is that America is truly exceptional. — Rudy Giuliani
- We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom. — Rudy Giuliani
- The world changed that morning. But our love of liberty stood unshaken. — (anonymous)
- We became a nation of helpers, of volunteers, of doers. — (anonymous)
- Patriotism is not the flag we wave but the help we give. — (anonymous)
- The memory of 9/11 reminds us what freedom costs — and why it matters. — (anonymous)
- We will not be defined by the terror that struck us but by the courage that responded. — (anonymous)
- When Americans helped Americans, freedom became tangible. — (anonymous)
- The attack was on our soil but our spirit remained on higher ground. — (anonymous)
- Freedom is a shared promise that no tragedy can erase. — (anonymous)
- Let us pledge that our lives honor those who gave everything for our future. — (anonymous)
🌅 Quotes of Legacy and Moving Forward
Best pick: The kids who lost parents grew up; grandchildren have been born and good works and public service have taken root to honor those we loved and lost. — Michael Bloomberg
- Good works and public service took root to honor those we loved and lost. — Michael Bloomberg
- In the shadow of that day we found the seeds of tomorrow. — (anonymous)
- The tragedy became a turning point, not an endpoint. — (anonymous)
- We live not only for ourselves now but in memory of others. — (anonymous)
- The legacy of 9/11 is the millions of kind acts that followed. — (anonymous)
- History remembers the towers, but people remember the helpers. — (anonymous)
- From mourning rose commitment; from loss came resolve. — (anonymous)
- Let the stories of that day guide our stories of tomorrow. — (anonymous)
- The past shaped us, but our choices will define us. — (anonymous)
- Every volunteer, every flag, every act of service extends the legacy. — (anonymous)
- Build lives that future generations will say were worthy of those we lost. — (anonymous)
- The world watched once; let the world learn from us now. — (anonymous)
💭 Conclusion
Whether you needed a quote for reflection, for sharing with family, or for inspiring action, this collection covers seven key moods around 9/11: unity, strength, hope, heroes, remembrance, patriotism, and legacy.
With each heading you have 13 quotes to choose from, including a best pick to get started quickly.
Use these words to honor, to remember, to feel connected — and to carry forward the spirit of that day into today.
