PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Ahead of the 20th year marking the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Florida governor will be speaking at a several veterans appreciation events around the state.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis stopped by the Palm Valley American Legion Post No. 233 in Ponte Vedra Beach Friday where he delivered remarks to honor veterans.
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DeSantis, a Navy veteran, served in Iraq and reflected on his own service while in Ponte Vedra.
“Your number one responsibility was to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” he said to a round of applause. “You take that oath very seriously. People have spilled blood in defense of the Constitution throughout our history.”
The governor said in light of the recent deaths of 13 American service members killed in Afghanistan, this year’s anniversary of the terror attack comes with an “even heavier heart than we have over previous anniversaries.”
He asked that as people honor the more than 3,000 lives lost on 9/11 that the community continues to think of the families who have experienced more recent losses.
“As we go into tomorrow’s anniversary, just understand these families out there who have very, very raw and fresh wounds from this, and I can only imagine the Americans that have been left behind what may be happening and what may happen over the coming days, weeks and even months and so keep those folks in mind,” DeSantis said.
The governor also has a scheduled stop in Holiday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 10167. He’s set to arrive around 4 p.m.
While the events are open to the news media, the governor will not be taking questions following his remarks.