(an older map is at the link)
Showing posts with label Crash of Flight 3407. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crash of Flight 3407. Show all posts
Sunday, February 12, 2012
3407 Memorial at Forest Lawn
After picking up a new map of Forest Lawn I noticed that there is now a Flight 3407 Memorial in the northeast corner (section 36), next to the Birchwood Mausoleum. 3 years ago today...Rest in Peace.
(an older map is at the link)
(an older map is at the link)
Thursday, July 23, 2009
On-Site Memorials
There was an interesting discussion in the comments area of story on WIVB on the subject of roadside memorials. They seem to be everywhere, and it's not just a WNY thing but spans the world. I'm of the opinion that the place for grieving, for remembering, is wherever people find comfort.
From Perfect Memorials (source of picture):
y interchange with numerous replies that the administrator finally cut off. On one hand a friend of Amber Graf wrote that the memorials are a way for people to deal with the grief and shock, and that it was very little encumbrance on the owner. Very emotional.
Another viewpoint (who seemed to me to be a person just spoiling for an argument) claimed that as a property owner they would tear up every last speck of a memorial because mourners were trespassing. Jerk. Then there was the dispassionate person who brought up a public safety issue, as in a distraction while driving.
First, public safety. This is in a time where community groups are solicited to "Adopt a Highway" and get out there with orange bags to pick up litter while traffic is sometimes whizzing by at 50+ mph. Then there are billboards, signs, you name it. Non-issue in my opinion.
Then there is the subject of the rights of property owners. Many people agree with the concept that an owner should be able to do with their property what they want, even if it means coldheartedly shoveling a roadside memorial into a garbage bag. Where things start to unravel is when an owner wants to build a WalMart or Wegmans, or maybe wants to fiddle with a historic building. Or when a widow wants to have an on-site memorial on her own property.
Karen Wielinski hopes the Town of Clarence and its residents can understand that a memorial for Flight 3407 needs to be on the spot of the crash. Robin Tolsma is on camera explaining that 6038 Long Street is where her beloved passed from this earth, not down the street, around the corner, or a mile away, but right there. And it is on that site where many feel the last tenuous connection their loved ones taken so tragically, so suddenly, from them.
From WKBW:
The Town supervisor is shown making a thoughtful but neutral statement, knowing he's caught between a rock and a hard place as far as the divided wishes of the residents of Clarence Center are concerned.
And now Long Street has now suffered another horrific loss, perhaps giving more people some insight on the need to go to the spot that will now be forever indelibly linked with the life and untimely death of a person they loved. Then again, perhaps not. Some may never understand how a memorial brings comfort, whether it be roadside, on-site, or a stone in a cemetery, far removed from the last moment of life. Loved ones live on in memories and in the heart after all.
However, whether it's to mourn, to remember, or to feel connection with the last moment of life of a loved one, the feelings of those left behind on this earth should be respected. Leave the mourners and memorials be. It may be the only semblance of peace they can find.
From Perfect Memorials (source of picture):
"Roadside memorials can be therapeutic for survivors, according to E. Jean Scully, psychotherapist, bereavement counselor and retired professor at the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University. Scully states, “When a loved one is violently taken, it leaves you unable to say goodbye . . . and creates a helpless need to connect to that spot.”Back to the online story, "can't understand" wrote (5th down):
"I can never understand the motivation to put flowers at a crash site. I mean, I don't put flowers on my lawn where my grandma had her heart attack. Now you have to go to two places to remember people---their grave and where they crashed?"This sparked a livel
y interchange with numerous replies that the administrator finally cut off. On one hand a friend of Amber Graf wrote that the memorials are a way for people to deal with the grief and shock, and that it was very little encumbrance on the owner. Very emotional.Another viewpoint (who seemed to me to be a person just spoiling for an argument) claimed that as a property owner they would tear up every last speck of a memorial because mourners were trespassing. Jerk. Then there was the dispassionate person who brought up a public safety issue, as in a distraction while driving.
First, public safety. This is in a time where community groups are solicited to "Adopt a Highway" and get out there with orange bags to pick up litter while traffic is sometimes whizzing by at 50+ mph. Then there are billboards, signs, you name it. Non-issue in my opinion.
Then there is the subject of the rights of property owners. Many people agree with the concept that an owner should be able to do with their property what they want, even if it means coldheartedly shoveling a roadside memorial into a garbage bag. Where things start to unravel is when an owner wants to build a WalMart or Wegmans, or maybe wants to fiddle with a historic building. Or when a widow wants to have an on-site memorial on her own property.
Karen Wielinski hopes the Town of Clarence and its residents can understand that a memorial for Flight 3407 needs to be on the spot of the crash. Robin Tolsma is on camera explaining that 6038 Long Street is where her beloved passed from this earth, not down the street, around the corner, or a mile away, but right there. And it is on that site where many feel the last tenuous connection their loved ones taken so tragically, so suddenly, from them.
From WKBW:
The Town supervisor is shown making a thoughtful but neutral statement, knowing he's caught between a rock and a hard place as far as the divided wishes of the residents of Clarence Center are concerned.
And now Long Street has now suffered another horrific loss, perhaps giving more people some insight on the need to go to the spot that will now be forever indelibly linked with the life and untimely death of a person they loved. Then again, perhaps not. Some may never understand how a memorial brings comfort, whether it be roadside, on-site, or a stone in a cemetery, far removed from the last moment of life. Loved ones live on in memories and in the heart after all.
However, whether it's to mourn, to remember, or to feel connection with the last moment of life of a loved one, the feelings of those left behind on this earth should be respected. Leave the mourners and memorials be. It may be the only semblance of peace they can find.
Monday, May 4, 2009
It's All About People
The month of May has been declared "Love Knows No Boundaries" month in WNY. The best explanation for the emotion connected with the title of the song comes from one of the widows:
It's understandable that many realize that the ideal time to raise money for a memorial is close to the event when many just want to Do Something. The fundraisers also serve as a community healing of sorts. However, much like the laudable idea of an Extreme Makeover replacement house, things get murky when it comes to actually implementing things on other people's property.
The site of the crash is privately owned, and Karen Wielinski has already stated that she never wants a house to rebuilt there. Even if she is in favor of a permanent memorial there, there are maintenance and liability issues. It's the same even if the Town or a larger government were able to obtain the land. The lot next door is also vacant now. No word on their plans either.
Even if something were to be erected on the grounds of the Clarence Center Volunteer Fire Company at the gateway to Long Street or on the Four Corners a block away, many are going to want to go to The Spot. That's a fact, whether people are comfortable with that or not. There are still barricades on the entrances to Long Street and No Parking signs where none existed three months ago. They need to come down.
Many of the people of Clarence Center, especially those who have lived there their entire long lives, sincerely and understandably just want things to go back to the way they used to be. Not going to happen. The best thing is to move forward, and that includes a memorial. The location to be determined at a later date needs to balance between the needs and rights of those of the area and those coming to pay tribute, or (to be perfectly honest) to sightsee. Tough job.
“My husband isn’t here to tell me he loves me, but love knows no boundaries.”There have been various fundraisers already connected with the Crash of Flight 3407. Some have been for the benefit of the families of the victims and those from Long Street. Still others are for a memorial to serve as a focus for grief and to honor the departed.
It's understandable that many realize that the ideal time to raise money for a memorial is close to the event when many just want to Do Something. The fundraisers also serve as a community healing of sorts. However, much like the laudable idea of an Extreme Makeover replacement house, things get murky when it comes to actually implementing things on other people's property.
The site of the crash is privately owned, and Karen Wielinski has already stated that she never wants a house to rebuilt there. Even if she is in favor of a permanent memorial there, there are maintenance and liability issues. It's the same even if the Town or a larger government were able to obtain the land. The lot next door is also vacant now. No word on their plans either.
Even if something were to be erected on the grounds of the Clarence Center Volunteer Fire Company at the gateway to Long Street or on the Four Corners a block away, many are going to want to go to The Spot. That's a fact, whether people are comfortable with that or not. There are still barricades on the entrances to Long Street and No Parking signs where none existed three months ago. They need to come down.Many of the people of Clarence Center, especially those who have lived there their entire long lives, sincerely and understandably just want things to go back to the way they used to be. Not going to happen. The best thing is to move forward, and that includes a memorial. The location to be determined at a later date needs to balance between the needs and rights of those of the area and those coming to pay tribute, or (to be perfectly honest) to sightsee. Tough job.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Final Thoughts
Some final miscellaneous thoughts (for now)...
This photo from the Buffalo News shows the house of my 3rd grade teacher, center top. This is the same one that appeared here in profile with the fire in the background a few days ago (thanks Terry, I didn't recognize it). The side yard that now harbors a green tent is where her dog runs in better times. She wasn't home at the time of the crash.
Rumor has it that Goodrich Road had to be shut down again yesterday because of lookie-loos. It's rather presumptuous of people to be tramping all over someone else's property to get a closer look at the site.
On that Facebook proposal to have Extreme Makeover come in and rebuild the house - it's well meaning, but is that what the family really wants?
The reader comments after the article on the subject on Buffalo Rising pretty much echo that sentiment also. The crew can't build any cute kids rooms as per their normal business mode. What are they going to do - attempt to replace the sports memorabilia and historical maps in a set-aside room? There can be no replacement.
In fact, I'd be willing to bet that there has been some discussion in the Town about creating a memorial park there or something like that. That would be a great idea, but ultimately it's up to Karen Wielinski.
The cleanup may wrap up soon, but the investigation will continue for quite some time. For some, time stopped the night of February 12th. For family and friends of the victims, life as they know it will never be the same. For people of the town, especially for those closest to the crash site, the struggle to return to some semblance of normalcy will be a long one...
This photo from the Buffalo News shows the house of my 3rd grade teacher, center top. This is the same one that appeared here in profile with the fire in the background a few days ago (thanks Terry, I didn't recognize it). The side yard that now harbors a green tent is where her dog runs in better times. She wasn't home at the time of the crash.Rumor has it that Goodrich Road had to be shut down again yesterday because of lookie-loos. It's rather presumptuous of people to be tramping all over someone else's property to get a closer look at the site.
On that Facebook proposal to have Extreme Makeover come in and rebuild the house - it's well meaning, but is that what the family really wants?
The reader comments after the article on the subject on Buffalo Rising pretty much echo that sentiment also. The crew can't build any cute kids rooms as per their normal business mode. What are they going to do - attempt to replace the sports memorabilia and historical maps in a set-aside room? There can be no replacement.
In fact, I'd be willing to bet that there has been some discussion in the Town about creating a memorial park there or something like that. That would be a great idea, but ultimately it's up to Karen Wielinski.
The cleanup may wrap up soon, but the investigation will continue for quite some time. For some, time stopped the night of February 12th. For family and friends of the victims, life as they know it will never be the same. For people of the town, especially for those closest to the crash site, the struggle to return to some semblance of normalcy will be a long one...
In Memory of Jennifer Neill
Clarence alumna ('92) Jennifer Neill was among the victims in the crash of Flight 3407. From the Buffalo News:"Jennifer Neill, 34, was pregnant with her first child.
“She was due at the end of May,” said her mother, Mary Neill. Jennifer lived with her parents in Clarence.
Her fiance, Todd Eacker, a physician’s assistant, was in Florida visiting his sister when the plane went down. The last time he spoke with Neill was while she was at the Newark airport waiting for the plane to depart, her father, James, said.
A pharmaceutical sales representative for Shearing-Plough for the past several years, Jennifer left Wednesday morning for New York City for a business trip and was on her way back home on Flight 3407...
“The happy part is that she was a very happy and upbeat person,” Mary Neill said.
“She is just a wonderful daughter…She is a very ambitious and a very bright girl,” James said..In addition to her parents and fiance, Jennifer is survived by two brothers, Brendan and Patrick, a major in the Air Force, who was a safety officer and flew commercially at one time, James Neill said."
From WGRZ:
"Jennifer E. Neill (34), was a Clarence native. She attended Clarence Central High School, where she was First Chair Flutist in the band and also played softball and basketball. She held an Associates degree in Physical Therapy from SUNY Geneseo and a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences from the University at Buffalo. She worked in the physical therapy department at Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo. She and her fiance, Todd Eacker, were expecting their first child, a son."
(more on WIVB)
NEILL - Jennifer E. February 12, 2009, age 34, suddenly, a victim of Flight 3407, dear daughter of James L. and Mary J. (nee Buscaglia); dear sister of Major Patrick L. (Erin) Neill and Brenden L. Neill; dear fiancée of Todd Eacker, P.A.; dear granddaughter of Edith Buscaglia; dear aunt of Jack and Makena Neill. The family will be present Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the (Harris Hill Chapel) AMIGONE FUNERAL HOME, INC. 8440 Main St. (near Harris Hill Rd.). A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Friday at 10:30 AM in Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 8500 Main St., Clarence, NY. If desired, memorials may be made to the Women and Childrens Hospital of Buffalo, 219 Bryant Street, Buffalo, NY 14222. Share condolences at www.AMIGONE.com
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Monday, February 16, 2009
Curiosity in Clarence Center
It appears that the curious are descending on Clarence Center in droves; so much so that part of Goodrich Road had to be shut down again. I haven't ventured out that way yet. I had a feeling that in the initial stages "my mom lives over there" might not be sufficient grounds to get through. Then I'd cop an attitude. Best to stay put and talk by phone instead.They have to investigate the scene with no interference, I get that. While the scenario is completely understandable, I'm sure I'm not the only one with a problem having to "show your papers and state your business" in your own hometown. One guy got arrested for being strident in his point of view.
While it's awesome how fast the state and federal governments came in and took charge, it's a bit scary too. Just like that some rights have been suspended and the town is under occupation, with local officials and residents no more than gnats. Many movies have been made on that theme, including "The Simpsons".
This brings out the type A & B reactions. Type A is compliant, the good citizen, resolved to do whatever the government demands, staying inside and insisting that the biggest event in this area since McKinley got shot doesn't pique their curiosity in the least bit. Type B wants to see how close they can get without getting arrested. The extreme B gets in the way.
Being more of a B type person, daughter of an A, I thought it best to wait until at least today to wander out that way. Or maybe next weekend.
Besides the family and friends of the victims, the residents of Long Street, especially in the same block, have it the roughest. Not only have they lost a neighbor and their peace of mind, not only do they live on the doorstep of a tragedy, they can't even go home. I don't think the neighborhood will return to anything vaguely resembling normal for a very long time.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
In Memory of Ellyce Kausner
Clarence alumna ('02) Ellyce Kausner was among those who perished in the crash of Flight 3407. She is the daughter of alumni John Kausner and Marilyn Mesler ('71). From the Buffalo News:
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"Ellyce Kausner had a mental list of things to do in life, and methodically did them. A week or so ago she went swimming with dolphins, and no who knew her was surprised.
"She had more life in her than 10 of us," said her father, John.
Known as "Elly," Kausner, 24, grew up in Clarence in a tight-knit family for whom religious faith is a central part of their lives.
She graduated from Clarence High School and Canisius College, and was a second-year student at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville. At Canisius, she won the tuition award given to a senior with the most potential for the study of law.
She was traveling home to visit her family and boyfriend before final exams. She also had three nephews who wanted her as their Valentine at school. Friends and family described her as bright, bubbly and magnetic. They said she was devoted to her family and loved animals, especially her two cats.
"She was the life of the party, and enjoyed being the center of attention," her father said.
He saw her just a few days ago in Florida while on vacation with his wife, Marilyn. As they parted, their last words to each other were, "I love you."
Rest in Peace.
(more on WIVB)
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Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Next Day
The plane landed two blocks from my mom's house in Clarence Center. She's okay, and we're both grateful for all those who made contact (and those who thought about it). As I was talking to her last night on the telephone a plane went over. I could almost feel her cringe as she remarked on it.
Airplanes are constantly overhead. So much so that most times no one paid much attention, like it was part of the background noise. It'll be a long time before the people of Clarence Center feel complacent again.
The loss of a friend and neighbor hits home even more so than the crash itself. The Wielinski family was well regarded, not only in Clarence Center but also in the Cincinnati area that they previously called home.
Doug was a Vietnam war veteran, a chemist, a former marathon runner, a sports memorabilia collector/seller; also a husband, father, neighbor, and friend to many.
One neighbor will forever remember the generosity of the Wielinski family. At one time her garage needed painting but, being on a fixed income, she couldn't afford to have it taken care of in the immediate future. She became a bit stressed about it. No problem. Doug & Karen reached into their own good natures, bought the paint, and proceeded to paint the garage themselves. Great neighbors. The best.
Now a pile of rubble sits where a loving family once resided. The memories will live on.
Rest in peace.
(picture is a screen shot from Google Earth of 6038 Long Street, scene of crash)
(moving photo galleries Rochester Democrat & Chronicle; some pictures may bring tears to the eyes of even the detached from the immediacy)
Airplanes are constantly overhead. So much so that most times no one paid much attention, like it was part of the background noise. It'll be a long time before the people of Clarence Center feel complacent again.
The loss of a friend and neighbor hits home even more so than the crash itself. The Wielinski family was well regarded, not only in Clarence Center but also in the Cincinnati area that they previously called home.Doug was a Vietnam war veteran, a chemist, a former marathon runner, a sports memorabilia collector/seller; also a husband, father, neighbor, and friend to many.
One neighbor will forever remember the generosity of the Wielinski family. At one time her garage needed painting but, being on a fixed income, she couldn't afford to have it taken care of in the immediate future. She became a bit stressed about it. No problem. Doug & Karen reached into their own good natures, bought the paint, and proceeded to paint the garage themselves. Great neighbors. The best.
Now a pile of rubble sits where a loving family once resided. The memories will live on.
Rest in peace.
(picture is a screen shot from Google Earth of 6038 Long Street, scene of crash)
(moving photo galleries Rochester Democrat & Chronicle; some pictures may bring tears to the eyes of even the detached from the immediacy)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Breaking News: Plane Crash in Clarence Center
Those of you in Clarence Center already know, but for those not local or who haven't turned on a television yet, there's breaking news: Continental flight 3407 with 49 people on board crashed into a house in Clarence Center on Long Street near Clarence Center Road (by the fire hall). All have perished, in addition to one person on the ground.I would hope this also would put an end to local discussions as to the need for all the units of the volunteer fire companies in the Town of Clarence.
Links for updates and information:
Sobering picture slideshow on MSN video/Associated Press
WBEN-radio
WGRZ-TV
WIVB-TV (live coverage right now at 5:25 am)
WKBW-TV
The Buffalo News
(video shot by resident appears below, from WKBW viewers input)
Thanks also to my cousins across the Atlantic Ocean who emailed me immediately with concern and caring. I retire early, and I read my email before turning on the news this morning.
Thought and prayers for all the victims and their families.
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