The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Family of slain man helps restore 9/11 mural defaced in his name
WEST HAVEN — Artist Fred Carrion’s iconic 9/11 mural at the corner of Washington Avenue and Elm Street was covered last week with graffiti memorializing a man recently killed there and it struck such a cord that artists, patriots, businesses and even the slain man’s family are working daily to restore the piece.
Meanwhile, Carrion, 66, said, “I feel no anger” – and he wants a tribute to the homicide victim incorporated into the restored piece.
The graffiti memorialized a local man who was killed this month.
Fernando “Chino” Rivera died after what police called a “serious assault” at the intersection on Oct. 31. Rivera, 35 and father to a 5-year-old son, died Nov. 1. Terence Johnson, 18, is charged with murder and being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
“I think it’s great when a work of art moves people to do something that’s greater than themselves,” said Carrion, a former art teacher at Wilbur Cross Middle School in Bridgeport and former host of a television art instruction show.
“I didn’t take it personally – especially when I found out somebody lost their life,” Carrion said.
He noted the community outpouring to restore the mural and, “It’s great,” Carrion said of the events.
“That’s the true American way – we help each other recuperate and especially now with these global tragedies, the pandemic – we need that,” he said. “That was the original motivation (in doing the mural). I had to do something.”
He dropped by the scene recently with doughnuts and sketches of his original plans to help the volunteers.
In the days after the killing, police said officers responded back to the incident location where they discovered the mural had been “covered over with spray paint regarding the homicide.” Noting they don’t tolerate destruction of property, police said three people would be cited for the vandalism.
Carrion said Rivera died at a place that was “solemn anyway.” Added to the wall of the mural being restored will be a piece honoring Rivera – his name, an aka “Chino” and his birth and death dates. There will be a heart on one side of the tribute to Rivera and a cross on the other.
Rivera was assaulted near his home in daylight as his son, Nikolaos Rivera, 5, waited in costume for Rivera to come home so they could go trick-ortreating, Rivera’s fiancee Lindsee Baez said.
It never happened. Rivera’s family members have been volunteering at the restoration site and Baez said that if they knew who committed the vandalism she would send them to the site “with a toothbrush” to erase the graffiti.
She said Rivera, her partner of 16 years, adored West Haven and wouldn’t want anything defaced and he had a high respect for the tragedy of 9/11. They moved here, she said, to give Nikolaos a great community and a safe one.
Baez said she no longer feels safe living in West Haven, where they loved their neighbors, took part in holiday events and children’s activities.
“I was really upset (about the vandalism). I didn’t want this to taint the memory of him,” she said through tears.
She reached out to those restoring the mural, gave a donation and everyone’s been great.
“They had every reason to brush me off because of the situation,” she said. “I was worried they were going to judge us. ... The group has been amazing.”
Carrion’s mural depicts an American flag with the writing: “We will never forget 9-11-01.”
There is a blue and gold sky, with the Twin Towers, an the words “God Bless America.”
There are two panels with a door in between – amber waves of grain painted on the door. The steps in front are painted in gold. Until recently, Carrion repainted those gold steps every year.
The graffiti over the mural was a giant heart done in black spray paint with “R.I.P. Chino” written in the heart and an “I love you” haphazardly painted in the corner with scribble above the heart. On the sidewalk in front of the mural there is massive graffiti in green spray paint, including a massive “RIP Chino,” “Love u” and hearts.
News of the vandalism to a mural that’s been a staple here for 19 years hit Sonni Ramiu of West Haven hard, as it did her friend, artist Danielle DelMonaco, formerly of West Haven and now living in New Haven, as well as their other friend, artist Tina Latella.
The woman put a brief call for volunteers on the popular “West Haven - The Way it is” Facebook Page and were so overwhelmed with responses they created a new Facebook page, “West Haven 9/11 Mural Restoration Project.”
The women were shocked that after four days of working, the restoration was almost complete because of the outpouring. They began Saturday, continued Sunday and into this week.
“Everyone says West Haven is the friendliest city, but we thought it would take weeks,” Ramiu said. “I’m overwhelmed how much we got done since Tuesday. It just goes to show I live in a great town.”