Central Ohioans gather to remember the fallen
Maddie Delande was among about 130 people solemnly gathered in Westerville’s First Responders Park on Monday to remember the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 16 years ago.
The 19-year old Boston resident, who is attending Otterbein University, was too young to remember where she was on that similarly sunny day in 2001. But Delande said she’s heard stories, mainly from her mother, who was on the terrorists’ “back-up” plane on her way from Boston to Seattle. The plane, which terrorists had planned to use if they couldn’t get aboard the others, made an emergency landing in New York, she said.
“We reflect on it every year and just think how thankful we are for her to be home safe,” Delande said. “It’s obviously important to never forget what happened.”
What happened will never be forgotten by Barbara Reoch, of Westerville. She has attended the community’s memorial service every year since she lost her niece, Arlene Babakitis, in the attack on the World Trade Center’s North Tower. Later, she lost her niece’s son, who killed himself eight years after his mother died.
On Monday, Reoch was wearing a laminated piece of paper featuring Babakitis’ photo, her name and the fact that she died in the North Tower.
“I just want her to know she’s not alone,” Reoch said. “She wasn’t alone at the time.”
For Reoch, the only thing good that came from the attack was that the country pulled together. But, she said, it didn’t last.
“That’s what’s upsetting,” she said. “We need something tragic ... maybe we’ll pull together again, I don’t know.”
The mood was somber as Westerville Police Chaplain James Meacham and other chaplains led prayers and moments of silence, and others sang tunes about heroes and military personnel. Many teared up as they spoke or watched the 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the park on Main Street in front of a piece of the WTC’s North Tower. The event was one of several held Monday in central Ohio communities.
Mindy Bartley, a social studies and Bible study teacher at Genoa Christian Academy, said her son was a year old when terrorists used jetliners as weapons at the WTC’s twin towers in NYC, and the Pentagon in Washington. A third jetliner was forced into a deadly crash near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, by heroic passengers and crew aboard United Flight 93 who had rushed the cockpit. More than 2,000 died in the attacks, including fire, police and EMS first responders.
Bartley brought 46 high school students to the Westerville memorial service, who — like Delande — weren’t old enough to remember or not even born yet when the 9/11 attacks occurred.
“It makes it easier for them to understand their freedom,” Bartley said. “It makes history real; it’s not just in their textbook.”
Alex Van Dromme, 17, a senior at the academy, was among the students with Bartley. He was a year old at the time of the attacks.
“It puts it in perspective because we learn about all kinds of battles and wars, this is something we still talk about,” Van Dromme said. “It’s something that’s real and happens today.”