First Friday Club of Greater Akron hears reflections on 9/11 from Father Norm Douglas

“Our freedom requires all of us to have a strong sense of responsibility and sacrifice,” said Father Norm Douglas, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Akron.

 He expounded on that statement while sharing his reflections on Sept. 11, 2001 25 years after the terrorist attacks. The First Friday Club of Greater Akron heard his presentation on Sept. 4.

When he was a child, Father Douglas said his mother would talk about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and he always wondered why “because it was so long ago (just over 20 years later) … But something like that freezes time,” he said, noting 9/11 is another example.

He recalled attending a meeting the morning of 9/11 for a faith-based organization he helped found in Akron. Then he was scheduled to attend another faith-based meeting. By that time, the news about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. had been announced.

“We wondered if we should meet … We decided to do so and shared our feelings,” Father Douglas said.

He noted Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania a short time after the other three planes crashed, had flown over Cleveland as it headed to the West Coast. Suddenly, it turned around and seemed to be going to Washington. Soon after, the passengers rallied and caused the hijacked plane to crash, killing all 40 passengers and crew members plus the hijackers. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

When Father Douglas asked for a show of hands from those who remembered 9/11, many people raised their hands. Two tables of high school students from Archbishop Hoban and St. Vincent-St. Mary, both in Akron, admitted they weren’t born when the attacks occurred, but said they are aware of the event. In fact, a busload of Hoban students will visit the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11 for the 25thanniversary.

The HALO Foundation, established by St. Sebastian parishioner Sharon Deitrick, is arranging the trip. Deitrick is a supporter of the Flight 93 Memorial and maintains a relationship with many family members of those killed in the crash. She helped raise funds for the memorial and has promised to help keep alive the memory of those who died.

“HALO (Hope Always Lives On) exists to develop students as servant leaders by recognizing specific overlooked needs in the community and illuminating the selfless example of the heroes of Flight 93 as our model,” Deitrick said.

Father Douglas said he wondered how the tragedy could be personalized and help to make us better people. “These aren’t statistics,” he said of the people who died on 9/11. “They are people.”

Some Flight 93 family members went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to comfort families of the 11 people who were killed in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018. “They are wounded healers,” he said. Despite their ongoing grief and sense of loss, Father Douglas said the Flight 93 families reached out to help others.

Deitrick, who frequently visited Somerset, Pennsylvania near where Flight 93 crashed, was attending a business meeting there on Sept. 11, 2001. As the one-year anniversary of the crash neared, she said families wanted to have a memorial service. Area residents were overwhelmed by the crash and the ongoing interest in the site, so they asked her for help to organize the memorial service.

That request launched an ongoing effort to memorialize those who died. Using her network of sources and her business acumen, Deitrick helped secure a visit from President George Bush and his wife, Laura, for the first anniversary. Then she began raising funds and working with a crew to ensure that the necessary access was available for the event.

“Flight 93 sometimes is overlooked with people focusing on the planes that crashed in New York City and Washington. It’s important to remember that four planes crashed that day,” she added,

Deitrick said she wanted a faith presence at the 2002 memorial service, so she invited Father Douglas to attend, beginning his relationship with the victims’ families.

He recalled spending time on Sept. 10, 2002 with family members of the victims and learning more about them. “It was an all-nighter,” he said, noting it touched him deeply. The next day, President and Mrs. Bush came for the memorial service.

“It was one of the most significant, difficult, painful and awesome all-nighters of my life,” he added.

Among the stories he shared were those of Todd Beamer’s parents. Beamer was recognized for helping to rally the passengers to fight back and ultimately resulting in the plane crashing. Beamer is remembered for his “Let’s roll” rally cry as the passengers fought the hijackers.

Patrick Welsh, husband of flight crew member Deborah Welsh, said his wife of 10 years wasn’t supposed to  be on the plane but she changed places with a co-worker.

The father of Deora Bodley recalled her as “wanting to bring people together” and did volunteer work to help others.

The husband of Lauren Grandcolas, who was pregnant, said he was consumed with grief, but said his wife always wanted to make a difference, Father Douglas recalled.

At the one-year memorial service, Father Douglas said he noticed how moved the Bushes were as they hugged victims’ family and friends. “I said, ‘Mr. President,  don’t you need a hug, too?’ He said, ‘Yes,’ so I hugged him and suddenly Secret Service approached. “I forgot about them,” Bush quipped.

Father Douglas said when the passengers on Flight 93 rallied, one of the last things heard was them reciting the Lord’s Prayer, then Beamer shouting, “Let’s roll” as they rushed the cockpit.

Deitrick encouraged attendees to watch the movie “Flight 93” to learn more about what happened.

She said the HALO Foundation will have a Wings of Charity fundraiser for Flight 93 6-10 p.m. Sept. 17 at Guy’s Party Center, 500 E. Waterloo Road, Akron. Click here for more information.

Learn more about the HALO Foundation here.

Bishop Edward Malesic will be the guest speaker at the Oct. 2 First Friday Club meeting. Doors open at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet lunch and the program at noon. Cost is $25. Visit the club’s Facebook page for more information.