On this day 20 years ago, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks.
People from across the Kansas City area gathered in Overland Park Saturday morning at the metro’s largest 9/11 memorial to remember the attacks and to honor the lives and memories of those killed on Sept. 11, 2001.
The memorial service took place at the site of the Overland Park 9/11 Memorial at the Overland Park Fire Training Center, 12401 Hemlock St. At least 130 people came out to attend the service.
As in years past, Saturday’s two-hour ceremony followed the timeline of events that day in 2001.
Overland Park firefighters and police officers led the ceremony with a symbolic ringing of a fire bell marking the exact times that planes hit the two towers at the World Trade Center in New York City, rammed into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Bells again were tolled to mark the moments when the the twin towers fell.
“As caretakers of this memorial, we have pledged to never forget," said Capt. Paul Schnicels of the Overland Park Fire Department, who served as the honor guard coordinator for the memorial service. “As we conduct today’s ceremony, please keep in mind the lives lost 20 years ago today and our duty to honor and remember their sacrifice.”
Police officers led a 21-gun salute, and a bagpiper performed “Amazing Grace” as officers laid a bouquet by the panel depicting the names of the 9/11 victims.
Firefighters also laid flowers on each of the panels that describe the timelines of the four airplanes that were hijacked that morning.
