SMU, Park Cities First Responders and Community Members Mark 9/11 Anniversary

Near mangled steel beams recovered from the World Trade Center debris, the University Park fire bell rang nine times. Three rings were for the call of duty, three for the courage shown, and three for the final rest granted.

The sound, long the symbol of the beginning of a call, the completion of a mission, and the return home, had added meaning this year on Sept. 11, the 25^th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, University Park fire chief Randy Howell told listeners.

“It honors the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. It acknowledges the duty they fulfilled. It reminds us that their service continues to echo through every life that they saved that day,” he continued. “When the bell rings, it’s our way of saying your watch is complete, your sacrifice is remembered, your legacy endures.”

Click the video on the left to view the bell ringing.

Community members and first responders from the Park Cities and SMU gathered at the George W. Bush Presidential Center for a Moment of Remembrance the morning of Sept. 11.

Click the video on the right to view remarks by the center’s president and CEO Shilo Brooks, who spoke in front of its wall of names, a memorial honoring the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives on 9/11.

Read more about reflections of former President George W. Bush and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Moment of Remembrance in People Newspapers’ October issues.

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Sarah Hodges

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Sarah Hodges is editor of People Newspapers. She wrote for The Kansas City Star, served in the Peace Corps, worked as a law firm associate, and spent more than a decade caring for her children as a stay-at-home parent prior to joining Park Cities People as managing editor in 2024. In her spare time, you can find her running, either around the neighborhood or to various kid activities.