Wellsville remembers one of own during 9/11 memorial service

“On that morning, 9/11, 2001, 22 years ago we came under attack by terrorists who had taken over our commercial flights flying planes into the Twin Towers in New York City, into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and into the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania,” Boley said. “Of the 2,977 lives lost that day, one of them was our own Wellsville girl, Miss Cathy Salter.”

After addressing the group, which consisted of village officials along with members of Wellsville police and fire departments and friends and family of Cathy, Boley looked toward Cathy’s mother Eleanor and said “our prayers will always be with you.”

Boley led those who were present in a moment of silence, the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem before asking Pastor Mark Blakeley to say an opening prayer, which was followed by Dave Byers performing a revised edition of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

Jamie Hardman, ceremony speaker, friend and classmate of Cathy, said, “we do this not only for all the victims, but for the one of our own from our town that was taken from us.”

Pastor Mark Blakeley, Wellsville First Christian Church, state Rep. Monica Rob Blasdel, Wellsville Mayor Bob Boley and Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel look on as speaker Jamie Hardman addresses those in attendance at Monday’s 9/11 Memorial Service held at Springhill Cemetery Monday. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel, who also was a friend and classmate of Cathy, spoke on the number of lives lost that day and how in the fire service, fire fighters consider other departments and other fire fighters their brothers and sisters.

“Me personally on that day, not only did I lose 343 brothers and sisters, but a few days later I found out I lost a great friend and classmate, Cathy Salter,” Podwel said. “She was on the 102nd floor of the south tower when it collapsed.”

Podwel told Eleanor that his deepest sympathy goes to her and that she is always in his prayers. He then looked to the sky and said, “Cathy, I love you. You are on my mind and in my heart forever.”

Eleanor looked to the skies with tears on her cheeks as Byers sang James Taylor’s “Shower the People You Love with Love.”

“We carry on their memories by loving other people,” Byers said.

Wellsville village administration along with family and friends of Cathy Salter, a Wellsville resident killed in the 9/11 attacks, gathered at Springhill Cemetery on Monday for a 9/11 Memorial Service. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel shared some of Eleanor’s and Cathy’s story when she addressed the those gathered.

Blasdel shared that Cathy, who was killed when hijacked flight 175 slammed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, was born and raised in Wellsville and she was the only person from Columbiana County to pass that day in New York City.

“Cathy, who was talented and likable from what I had read in recent years, moved to her company’s office in New York City,” Blasdel said. “Eleanor had recalled that it was her dream to work there, and I read just days before the attack she celebrated her 37th birthday.”

Blasdel went on to share that Eleanor was working at the East Liverpool City Hospital when a co-worker had informed her that a plane had crashed into one of the towers at the world trade center and shortly after that at 9:02 a.m., she was told a second plane crashed into the south tower.

“Eleanor Salter bears the deepest of all wounds,” Blasdel said. “She carries the burden of a mother who has lost a child, a child who was living a good life, a life that was cut short by an act of unspeakable cruelty.”

Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel speaks on 9/11 and his friend and classmate Cathy Salter, who died in the attacks when the second plane hit the south tower of the World Trade Center, during Monday’s 9/11 Memorial Service at Springhill Cemetery while Mark Blakeley, Wellsville First Christian Church, and state Rep. Monica Rob Blasdel look on. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Hardman said that a beautiful sun shiny day like Monday was because Cathy was looking down on them.

Hardman recalled sitting down to watch his TV that day just as Cathy’s tower got hit, but at the time he didn’t know she was there. He found out a couple days later that she was gone.

“It’s a very sad day, but we try to memorialize it and we try to remember Cathy the best we can whenever we can, not only on this day, but every day, and all of the victims,” Hardman said.

For Eleanor, the morning was difficult, and she was at a loss for words when she tried to explain what it meant to her to have her daughter honored and remembered.

“Most of her classmates that are here today are the ones, the spirit behind, keeping this memorial going,” Eleanor said. “I think it’s more them than anyone. Wellsville is different now than when Cathy was growing up. Most of them probably don’t know Cathy or know of her since 9/11 isn’t taught in schools anymore.”

Eleanor Salter helps Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel and Jamie Hardman place the wreath from Monday’s 9/11 Memorial Service at Springhill Cemetery at the grave of her daughter Cathy, who was killed in the 9/11 attacks. (Photo by Kristi. R. Garabrandt)

Eleanor also said the people who actually knew Cathy when she was growing up and going to school with her, graduated with her, worked with her, played sports with her, those are the ones who knew the type of person Cathy was.

“That’s what they want to keep alive is the spirit of Cathy and that’s why they come out,” Eleanor said. “These are the people who knew Cathy, they are the ones that keep her alive.”

Following the ceremony, Eleanor visited Cathy’s grave where she placed flowers and watched as Podwel and Hardman placed the memorial wreath from the service at her grave. She then went to the memorial erected for Cathy in town, where she was seen cleaning up around it.

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A memorial wreath from the 9/11 Memorial Service held Monday at Springhill Cemetery, an American flag in a 9/11 memorial marker and flowers laid by her mother Eleanor adorn the grave of Cathy Salter, a Wellsville resident killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

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