KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A father and his daughter both played a role in building the new and current terminals at Kansas City International Airport.
The current terminals opened in 1972.
The new, single terminal opens Tuesday.
In the early 2000s, Chris Wright installed drywall throughout the three terminals during a remodel.
“I was here for three years, we done a year a terminal on the remodel,” Wright, who spent 40 years as a union taper, said.
In 2020, Wright’s daughter, Lindsey Heath, began her career as a bricklayer.
Her first job as an apprentice was to work on the new KCI terminal.
“How lucky was I that I ended up being able to come out here?" Heath said. "I got my hands on this project, being a part of this project; it’s really been a blessing for my career to be able to be out here."
Heath installed pre-cast concrete panels as a member of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 15 union.
Some of her work garnered attention on TikTok. She said throughout her year-and-a-half on the project, her dad reminded her of his time at KCI.
“Any dad who’s built anything, you get to hear about it all the time,” Heath said.
Heath’s grandfather was also a unionized tradesman who built highways.
She hopes her 3-year-old son follows the family’s career path.
“He’s completely convinced he’s going to run excavators, I’ll tell you that right now,” Heath said.
Both Heath and her father look forward to seeing the completed terminal when it opens Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Wright says he's not sad to see the KCI tear down his handiwork when the airport demolishes the existing terminals in the coming months.
—
