Truman Library marks 25th anniversary of 9/11

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - Independence paused Friday morning to honor the lives lost 25 years ago and the first responders who rushed in to save them.

The community gathered at the Truman Library for a ceremony marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

A promise to remember

For the people who gathered at the Truman Library, the event was not just a ceremony. It was a promise that no matter how many years pass, the day will not fade.

The music and the salute marked the moments, serving as a reminder of what was lost and who stepped up when it mattered most.

“May we never forget the brave men and women who responded to these tragedies.”

Independence Mayor Kevin King told the crowd that remembering isn’t enough — it’s what people do with that memory that counts.

“And we teach the generations that come after us after the extraordinary act of service, sacrifice and humanity that emerged on one of our nation’s darkest days,” King said.

A firefighter’s perspective

Fire Chief Jimmy Walker was in New Jersey 25 years ago and saw the smoke rise over the skyline as first responders ran toward the danger everyone else was running from. He said it’s now up to him to make sure that sacrifice isn’t forgotten.

“I’m passing the torch to these young firefighters. They need to be ready to pass the torch to the next generation and again respect what we’ve learned — don’t take for granted the things that have happened,” Walker said.

A howitzer salute from Battery D, the same unit President Harry Truman led into battle over a century ago, echoed across the grounds like a gun salute for every life lost that day.

The Truman Library continues its anniversary programming Friday with a 6 p.m. jazz performance by the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s KCJO7.