SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio paid tribute Tuesday to the fallen heroes of 9/11 with various ceremonies across the city on the 17th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
Tower climb
Hundreds of local first responders walked in the footsteps of their New York counterparts who died on Sept. 11 by climbing the stairs of the Tower of the Americas, not once, but twice -- as a way to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.
The distance covered in the San Antonio 110 climb exceeds the 110 floors that police, paramedics and firefighters had to climb inside the World Trade Center.
New Life Christian Ministry commemoration
New Life Christian Ministry held a 9/11 commemoration at the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial on the campus of New Life Christian Center on Highway 90.
The keynote speaker was Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.
A select team of Navy petty officers presented a dramatic re-enactment reading.
A group of New Life Christian Academy Hybrid students read the names of 30 fallen 9/11 heroes, and the reading was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony.
Judson ISD remembers Lt. Col. Karen Wagner
The Judson Independent School District honored one of its own at a ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Lt. Col. Karen Wagner, a 1979 graduate of Judson High School, was among those killed in the Pentagon on Sept. 11.
Wagner High School was named after the fallen hero.
Among those attending the ceremony was Renee Paschall, Wagner's friend.
"I'm so glad that the students who are going to Karen Wagner (High School) that did not know who she was have this opportunity to come out here, every year, and learn about who their school is named after," Paschall said.
The Junior ROTC Department at Wagner High School placed a wreath at her gravesite, and the sounding of taps followed.
Brandeis High School honors 9/11 victims
Police, fire and Air Force junior ROTC cadets at Brandeis High School held a special 9/11 remembrance at the flagpole on campus.
The ceremony included bagpipes, the presentation of colors and the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.
After a moment of silence, police cadets read the first names of fire, police, paramedics and military personnel killed in the line of duty at the North Tower. Fire cadets read the names of those killed at the South Tower, and Air Force junior ROTC cadets read the names of those killed at the Pentagon.
A wreath was laid at the flagpole and taps were sounded by trumpeters from the Brandeis High School band to conclude the ceremony.
H-E-B honors local first responders with lunch
H-E-B employees served a steak lunch and cake for first responders at Fire Station No. 1.
The lunch was among 725 meals that were served across Texas, at which more than 4,500 H-E-B partners volunteered to provide meal preparation and other means of support.
This is the 14th year that H-E-B has given back to first responders on 9/11.