"Twenty years after the attacks of September 11, the memories, the pain, the devastating impact of unimaginable loss remains heavy on our city and our nation's minds, our hearts, our history.
"That was nearly half my lifetime ago, and after all that time, I still vividly recall the fear, the uncertainty, the disbelief and profound loss our city felt - the scale of the devastation that was witnessed. The sense of panic as I briefly struggled to find and speak with family. The unimaginable sadness and grief felt by those who never did. An environment of desperation and pain clouded our city together with the smoke and ash. Twenty years, but I remember it like yesterday.
"And I remember from that collective despair came an environment of collective empathy, of resolve, of support for and from our fellow New Yorkers and our fellow Americans. I hope that twenty years later, we can summon that common spirit and direct it toward common good.
"I pray all who lost loved ones to the attacks have found some measure of healing and peace, remembering not only those who were killed on that day, but all, especially first responders, who still suffer from the health effects of its aftermath. We must provide them not only with gratitude, not only with empathy, but with aid.
"After two decades, as we did in the wake of the attacks, New York moves forward in strength and in solidarity, but each of us carries our own memories of the day and the memories of all who were killed. Recovery means remembering - the collective trauma of this tragedy remains, and we must continue to comfort those in mourning, support those in need, and remember those we lost."