Father's Legacy
Ten years ago, Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters Larry Leggio and John Mesh were killed when part of a burning building collapsed on top of them. Mesh left behind his wife and four daughters, who were between the ages of 10 and 17 when he died. As they returned to his gravesite on this anniversary, they remembered who their dad was and shared how he lives on in them today.
While many remember the names of Larry Leggio and John Mesh from the fatal fire Oct. 12, 2015, two other KCFD firefighters were buried under the same rubble that night. Chris Anderson shared his survivor's story and what his life has looked like since the fire ended his career, his calling.
The impact on KCFD of losing Larry Leggio and John Mesh in one night was profound. The men and women who served in the department in 2015 still remember the tragedy. Since that night, the department has changed the way it fights fires, including how to make sure firefighters stay as safe as possible while carrying out life-threatening work.
KSHB 41 anchor Taylor Hemness discusses the behind the scenes of this series with KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig, incluing how a viewer first gave him the idea to dive deeper into the topic in the spring.
Bill Galvin, former president of the Kansas City firefighters' union, said losing Leggio and Mesh felt like losing an immediate family member.
Thousands gathered Oct. 17, 2015, at the T-Mobile Center, formerly the Sprint Center, to honor the lives of Mesh and Leggio.
The Mesh and Leggio families were honored with a moment of silence at Kauffman Stadium amid the Royals' 2015 World Series run.
Kansas Citians gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the sacrifice of Leggio and Mesh.
Crews spent more than 20 hours fighting the blaze at Independence and Prospect.
Less than 24 hours after the fire, questions were raised about the safety of the building.
The scanner traffic from the night of the fire paints the picture of what firefighters faced when they arrived at the scene.
After investigators determined the cause of the fire was arson, Thu Hong Nguyen was charged with second-degree murder.
Whether or not they had a personal connection to John Mesh, community members gathered for his procession to honor his service.