Olgiate Olona, June 26, 1959 - Commemorative events (2017)

Commemorative events of June 26, 1959

• Rewarded in 2011 with medal of the President of the Italian Republic •

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Commemoration of June 26, 2017

Commemoration of June 26, 2017 - Susan and Kathleen Ellis with Mayor Giovanni Montano

Commemoration of June 26, 2017 - Il pubblico presente alla cerimonia

Commemorative events 2017

Worn down by years of daily and valuable work, the Ape car symbol of solidarity in memory of the seventy immortal lives ended its service in Olgiate Olona. It was donated to Massimo Carletti social cooperative of Olgiate Olona in 2009 during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the plane crash.

In 2017 the educational project inspired to June 26, 1959, in its eighth edition was addressed to three classes of students in the eighth grade of “Dante Alighieri” school in Olgiate Olona.

Commemoration of 58th anniversary of the plane crash

The commemoration of June 26, 2017, in the town hall was attended by the relatives of the seventy immortal lives from Italy and USA, by a delegation of Comitato 8 ottobre commettee, by the students in the eighth grade of Olgiate Olona authors of the most deserving works produced in the eighth edition of the educational project in memory of June 26, 1959: all the students were awarded a merit certificate, the best three works were read by the authors who received a book coupon sponsored by laboratorio di falegnameria Legno e dintorni of Olgiate Olona.

(page containing the works of the students in the eighth grade rewarded)

Delegated by the mayor Giovanni Montano, Alberto Colombo represented the town of Olgiate Olona on October 8, 2017, in Milan at the commemoration of the victims of Milan-Linate air disaster.

Commemoration of June 26, 2017 - Mayor Giovanni Montano with the relatives of the seventy immortal lives, the witnesses of the plane crash and the coordinators of the ceremony

Witnesses of 58th anniversary of the plane crash

Cristiano Comelli, Italy (author of the poem In memoria del 26 giugno 1959 inspired to the plane crash of Olgiate Olona, composed for the 50th anniversary and proposed during the Evening of memory of June 26, 2009, in the Prepositural St. Stephen and Lawrence church of Olgiate Olona):

«A tragedy has always a double result; it is death, but it is required to give new life. It is earthly death recalling a memory that - even though enriched with wealth that the people who unfortunately have been protagonists in first person have left on earth in terms of goodness of their actions and affection and love reserved to their loved ones – becomes universal memory, no more subject to the laws of time but able to be itself a monarch of time.
The universal memory lives in the valuable historical research of a friend I have the honour of knowing and with whom I worked for years for a local weekly newspaper, a wonderful person who wanted to immortalize with his pen this remembrance to give it to everyone’s history. This with the awareness that - as the playwright Terence affirmed - “I am a human being, and thus nothing human is alien to me”.
Seventy lives are now so many stars. Every star is a glance. We receive it and we will return it not in the shape of tear but smile, because the stars just want smiles. Smiles that have the shape of those who - though having suffered the most terrible of the pain for the loss of a loved one in that tragedy - are now called to make them eternally present with their action and thought, also with their hearts obviously. Those seventy lives in the stars belong to all of us, because their death – in everyone’s memory – becomes a supplement of life for everyone. That is, it becomes a continuation of their presence - though not the earthly one anymore - around the world, for our daily life. Perhaps nothing better than a tragedy can secure a man to the universal love, because it makes him feel his precariousness but also his unbreakable bond with his fellow man at the same time. And this sets him free from precariousness and make him eternal. Of all, in all and for everyone. In the hearts of those who remember it, that damned flight has become a different flight. A flight in the sky of the sweetest thought: nobody will forget, anybody will not be forgotten. A memory that is not confined to the past, but which lives in the present as will do in the future. Again, my homage to the seventy immortal lives (as per my friend’s book title, I know he does not like to be mentioned by name but many of you know him certainly) and my hug to their relatives».

Maria Enrica Ciserani and Roberto Peschiera, Italy - relatives of Paolo Ciserani:

«Dear people of Olgiate Olona... What can we say?! Attending the yearly commemoration dedicated to our beloved ones always arouses an infinity of emotions. Although the event has to be classified among the tragic ones, the joy you are able to convey to all of us is what emerges more and more in my heart, year after year. Through your constant commitment, through the freshness and pleasantness of the kids in their eighth grade classes, through the support of the municipal administration, you continue to give us this moment of renewed meeting where we can enjoy your availability almost confidential, the jokes of Mr. Antonio, the contagious smiles of Ellis sisters, the exchange of words and feelings with many of the participants. ... What can we say?! THANK YOU, infinitely THANKS».

Emanuele Castelnovo, Italy - relative of Pietro Castelnovo:

«On behalf of my family and especially my mom, I thank you for perpetuating this initiative with unchanged spirit, it truly represents an extraordinary example of how memory is not a dead thing but something that lives every day if we are able to make it present and embodied in everyday life».

Laurie Clam Sullivan, USA - relative of Jesus Juan Rey, Anna Rey, Manuel Rey, Josephine Fuda and Domenick Fuda:

«We want to thank you again for remembering the families of this horrible day. As my mom joins her family she dearly missed, this day will always be a day we will never forget, and we will come together as a family knowing that our mother is smiling, holding her family in heaven very close, and they see that all the special friends in Italy never forget this day. Thank you again».

John Clam, USA - relative of Jesus Juan Rey, Anna Rey, Manuel Rey, Josephine Fuda and Domenick Fuda:

«I cannot express the gratitude I feel with all involved in keeping the memory of lost in the air tragedy in Olgiate Olona on June 26th, 1959. It is with deep appreciation that I thank your fine town for such compassion».

Judy Rey Goro, USA - relative of Jesus Juan Rey, Anna Rey, Manuel Rey, Josephine Fuda and Domenick Fuda:

«Hi, we will be thinking of all of you tomorrow. I know my mom is so very happy up in Heaven and looking down on all her favorite people in Italy. We love you and thank you with all our hearts».

George Clam, USA - relative of Jesus Juan Rey, Anna Rey, Manuel Rey, Josephine Fuda and Domenick Fuda:

«As June 26 approaches, we wanted to let you know that the entire Clam/Rey family will be with you, the families of the crash victims and the people of Olgiate Olona as you observe the anniversary of the 1959 air disaster. We will be with you in spirit and remain forever grateful for the work you all do to remember the victims and educate new generations about this unfortunate event. Mille grazie».