STONEWALK 2004: BOSTON, MA to NEW YORK, NY.

August 23rd
By Daniel Jones

August 23 – When the day began, my aunt Ann Marie took us to Fairfield University to see the memorial there to the alumni killed on 9/11. Eric, Dot, Billy and I went. 14 graduates’ names are engraved on the stone. The oldest graduated in 1986, making him about 37 when he died. The memorial uses a piece of a beam from the WTC. The memorial is a stark and beautiful prayer for peace. We left there and went to the caisson to prepare for today’s push.

On the 20th, going to Sherwood Island State Park seemed like such a good idea. I still think it was a good idea, but in looking back, we were up on a hill at the fire house, had to go back towards Boston on Route 1 for about half a mile (yes, Lewis, we turned around), and the trek to Sherwood Island was hilly, especially with hills over the bridge over the highway, but ultimately we descended to the park. That means that to get back, we had to climb. By the time we got back to where we started, we were exhausted.

At Sherwood Island, right on the sound is a huge stone carved in remembrance of all those lost on 9/11. On two sides of a square plot, there are names of victims on small squares of stone, laid into the grass plot. Beverly, Connie and I put stones on the names of Sean Rooney, Brad Vadas and William H. Kelly, Jr. We also looked for the names of other Connecticut families that we know. Robin Therakauf’s husband, Monica Gabrielle’s husband, Mary Fetchet’s husband. Cat looked through the Portraits book to find the names of those we met in other parts of Connecticut who lost family. We read the prayers for peace that Lewis obtained for the Peace Abbey when he went to Assisi in the late 1980’s. We read together prayers from 12 major faith traditions. When it was time to go, we pulled out of the parking lot silently. We then made the arduous climb back to the fire station.

After a brief rest, we continued to a park next to the bridge in Westport. Several people made lunch for us and we rested and listened to Bruce Taylor and the Walk About singers lead us in song as we waited for a send off from officials and religious leaders in Westport. When we left the park and headed over the bridge, we were joined by Laurette, a woman from near Baltimore who lost her brother on 9/11. Laurette contacted Dot over the weekend and came up today. She told of how he made sure everyone who worked for him got out of the building, but he did not. She talked of the devastating impact this has had on her family. She also spoke eloquently about how she did not want anyone else to be killed. Laurette joined right in, leading the way on the tow bars and carrying the banner.

We were told that after the first hill, it is all down hill to Norwalk. Well, if the first hill means the first 2 and Ѕ miles, and “all down hill from there” was the last Ѕ mile, then we were informed correctly. It was a long and difficult pull, but we were joined by Danny from Voices in the Wilderness and about a half dozen people form the park send-off. We made it to the Episcopal Church on the Green in Norwalk. We were destined for the First Congregational Church about 300 yards further. The group decided to tour the Episcopal Church and walk the labyrinth. This was the second day we stopped so close to our destination. Yesterday, the group decided to rest after a hill, but almost within sight of the fire station that was to be our destination. Today, we could see the First Congregational Church from the Episcopal Church. Eric pointed out the precedent of two days in a row resting right before the end and motioned that we do this every day.

After what seemed like too long a walk to find a bar, Dot, Cat, Laurette, Mary from St. Bart’s in Manhattan, and Marcel from WBAI found one. Marcel was on business, conducting interviews in the quiet place of my choice. Danny from Voices joined us for a quick beer before heading back to the First Congregational Church for our evening program. It was a great event with singing and speaking. Bruce Taylor organized quite a musical celebration with his own bands and guests. After almost a month of prodding, Cat sang at the event in her strong, beautiful soprano voice. Danny told the story of the walk from DC to NYC in the fall of 2001 from his and Voices’ point of view. I am so appreciative to Danny and Kathy and all at Voices that put together that walk. And for all the work they have done on behalf of the voiceless victims of the first war in Iraq and the sanctions and bombings between the two wars.

Pete Seeger sang and led us in song. He opened by playing the tune to “Oh, Danny Boy” on recorder. He related that originally it was a song of protest following a British massacre of one of the last clans in Ireland. I got the chance to thank him for playing and told him that despite the history he shared about the song, I would suffer under the delusion the Pete Seeger came to a Peaceful Tomorrows event and played “Danny Boy” just for me.