Memorial’s purpose made clear
“Why?” they’ve asked in one form or another, “do the 25 people who died in the train crash deserve a memorial any more than the scores of people who are killed in accidents on the freeway every year? Are those losses any less meaningful?”
It was a fair question, and one that couldn’t easily be answered. We had to ask ourselves, “What was it about that moment at 4:23 p.m, Sept. 12, 2008 when those two trains collided that deserved such special recognition?””
Saturday’s dedication of the Metrolink Community Plaza at the east end of the Simi Valley train station helped put it all in perspective.
Beneath the coastal oak trees where so many area residents can recall saying “So long” or “Welcome home” to a loved one, hundreds gathered to grieve, seek support or simply pay their respects to the riders who never made it back to their homes in Simi, Moorpark, Camarillo and beyond.
At the end of a succinct and respectful tribute, which included the reading of the names of each of the 25 followed by the tolling of 25 bells, the crowd moved one by one onto the new memorial grounds. Family members and friends of victims huddled around the plaques bearing the name of their loved ones.
For the next hour, people turned to one another for support atop the memorial’s circular landing. Some had been complete strangers until that day. There was no joy, but there was connection. At that moment, their pain was shared with others who knew exactly what they were feeling.
The number who shed tears at the memorial was a staggering reminder of how many lives the tragedy of the crash touched, people of all colors, religions and backgrounds.
What the ceremony showed was that the memorial isn’t just for the 25 and their families—it’s for all of us. It’s a rock-solid reminder to never leave without saying, “I love you” and never return without a warm embrace. We’re proud to support the memorial, and we hope you are too.
