The aging parents of John Willett, an Independence native killed in the north tower of the World Trade Center, were beginning to doubt they would see a reckoning for that terrible September morning 10 years ago.
“My wife and I both wondered if we’d see this justice done in our life,” said Ron Willett of Walnut Shade, a small town in southwest Missouri.
“I’m 73 and she’s 70. Since it had been so long, we didn’t know. To be able to experience this is a great feeling.”
They were taking calls from friends and relatives Sunday night after President Barack Obama delivered the news about Osama bin Laden.
“Everybody is elated,” Lucille Willett said.
John Willett received his master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The 29-year-old was working in one of the upper floors of the tower for CO2e.com when the hijacked plane struck. His remains were never identified.
He was one of several area residents who died or were fatally injured that day, including Julie Geis of Lee’s Summit; Randy Drake of Lee’s Summit; Denease Conley, formerly of Kansas City, and Bill Caspar of Junction City, Kan.
Read the complete story at kansascity.com