KISD honors Gold Star Families at annual Freedom Walk

KILLEEN, Texas - Killeen High School was bustling as the community came together to commemorate Patriot Day, or 9/11, with the Freedom Walk on Sept. 11 at KHS.

The event began in the auditorium with the presenting of the American flag by the Harker Heights Police Department. Col. Lakicia Stokes, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos commander, represented Fort Cavazos during the ceremony and gave remarks.

"At Fort Cavazos, we are deeply proud to stand with you in remembrance and in a shared commitment to the core values of freedom, resilience and service," Stokes said. "Our shared participation today reflects not just a moment of remembrance, but a pledge to keep the spirit of 9/11 alive in our hearts and actions."

This year, the program took special recognition of the Gold Star Families. A Gold Star Family is one who has lost an immediate family member during active-duty military service.

"The Gold Star Families were really an area that I wanted to focus on," said Angenet Wilkerson, director of community relations for Killeen Independent School District. "So, it is imperative that we say thank you and honor our Gold Star Families."

The keynote speaker for the event was Gold Star family member Cindy Hildner, whose spouse, Brig. Gen. Terrence Hildner, made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Afghanistan in 2012. Hildner gave a background of the Gold Star history and what it means to be a Gold Star family member.

"We are a reminder of the human cost of war," she said. "For some of us, our loss is a wound that may have become scarred over with the passing of time, but it's still there."

According to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the attacks of 9/11 caused the deaths of over 3,000 Americans that day. However, it does not include the personnel who went to war because of the attacks.

Hildner shared her story with the audience to remind them to never forget those who died on 9/11 or those who fought because of it.

"Listen to the stories," she expressed. "Listen to those who lived during 9/11 and who lost family members and friends that day. Listen to those who are still suffering most, support them, let them know they are not alone. It is our legacy to keep the memory of our fallen heroes alive, to ensure that their sacrifices have not been forgotten, honor them by remembering them and their families."

After the indoor portion of the event, attendees participated in a parade, which ended in the Leo Buckley Stadium, led by the Killeen High School band. There, Wilkerson named the fallen Soldiers represented by Gold Star Families in attendance and the tribute to firefighters by the tradition of ringing a bell to acknowledge a firefighter's last return home.

Michael Martinez, 17-year-old Killeen High School senior, ended the ceremony by playing Taps, a military musical composition played during funeral honors.

Wilkerson said as a district, it is their responsibility to educate and to use this day to connect with their students by sharing their stories on 9/11.

"Just like math, science and English, history is a critical subject, and it is important to share history so that we learn from it, learn what to do, learn what not to do," she said. "It is important that we share this historical lesson, in essence for our students. And so, we grab that, we embrace it and we use this as an instructional opportunity."

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