A retired NYPD detective who worked on recovery at Ground Zero will headline Southlake's 25th anniversary Sept. 11 ceremony.

Bill Johnson, a Southlake resident who spent 20 years on the force, will speak at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 11 at Liberty Garden in Bicentennial Park.

Johnson was serving in the Bronx at the time of the 2001 attacks and worked on recovery efforts that followed.

He will speak about his experience as a first responder at the city's largest Sept. 11 observance since the garden opened more than two decades ago.

The city's official event page confirms 2,977 American flags will cover the memorial site, one for each person who died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The flags will surround the park's "Remembrance and Renewal" sculpture, which Southlake Style reported was installed in 2023.

Liberty Garden itself was dedicated in 2003 as a living memorial to the attacks.

Beyond Johnson's remarks, the program includes a ceremonial bell ringing, a 9/11 poem reading, performances by the Southlake Community Band and an appearance by the Southlake Honor Guard. The ceremony will close with a moment of silence and a community pledge.

Southlake Mayor Shawn McCaskill promoted the event on Facebook, confirming the city is hosting the ceremony at the "Remembrance and Renewal" sculptures.

Attendees will be able to write messages of support on cards that the city plans to send to New York City fire and police stations most deeply affected by the attacks.

My Southlake News first reported the ceremony details, including the card-writing program, which connects Southlake residents directly with first-responder stations in New York.

Parking is available in the lot next to the water tower at N. White Chapel Blvd. and Unity Way, across the street from Liberty Garden.

Coming up in Southlake: The city's 70th birthday block party, which includes fireworks, is set for Sept. 12, the day after the remembrance ceremony, as we reported Sept. 1.