Remembering 911 Through a Police Chief's Eyes | Grand Rapids News

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, David Stricklen, then airport police chief at Kent County International Airport, recounts his harrowing firsthand experience—seeing the first tower ignite on TV, then realizing the world had changed forever. He recalls the FAA’s urgent order to land all planes, the sudden influx of stranded travelers—including a Japan-bound flight with 300 passengers—and how he rallied local businesses to feed and care for them. The day hit him personally when he learned his colleague Anthony Infante, who’d led a seminar he attended just months prior, died in the North Tower. Stricklen stresses the urgency of preserving this memory, especially as younger generations like his granddaughter begin treating it as history. He insists that remembering 9/11 isn’t just about the past—it’s essential to understanding today’s global landscape, because nothing will ever be the same again. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9f271a457dbdc0da