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Flight 111 families applaud Nova Scotians

Lisa Brown
Lighthouse staff

 HALIFAX - It was a meeting organized at the request of the families of the victims of Flight 111 and with their applause the reason became clear.

 People from countries around the world gave Nova Scotians a standing ovation September 2, thanking all those involved in the aftermath of the tragedy a year before. For more than a minute, over 700 family members stood in a Halifax ballroom. They clapped, they smiled and nodded, and they cried as they faced 1,000 strangers who'd helped them at the lowest point of their lives.

 "I would like to express on behalf of all the families our most sincere and very profound gratitude for all that you have done over the past year," said Myron

 Ratnavale of Switzerland, who lost his parents in the crash.

 "You have, through your hard work, your warmth, your help, your understanding, your professionalism, set new standards of which we're well aware. And in conjunction with this, you've been a great source of strength to all of us family members during these very difficult times," he added.

 Next to him, Daniel Bouchout, who lost his son in the disaster, reiterated Mr. Ratnavale's comments in French, ending with "merci, merci, merci."

 The emotional moment came at the end of the commemorative gathering at the World Trade and Convention Centre. Many who took part in the search, recovery and other operations following the crash had spent an hour earlier in the afternoon mingling with the families.

 Among them was Moe Morash from Hacketts Cove. He helped feed the searchers, RCMP, Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries and Oceans personnel who combed the shores and sorted debris last fall.

 "I was involved pretty well from day one right to the end," he said Thursday, calling himself "the local gopher" with a chuckle. Whatever anyone wanted or needed he delivered, from cases of pop and gum to trays of sandwiches.

 He attended the Whalesback dedication on Wednesday, then went to the commemorative gathering Thursday. He wanted to see people he met during the ordeal.

 "We made a lot of good friends," said Tammie Miller from Chester Basin. She started out delivering sandwiches from the Chester Basin Legion, then moved to the Seabright Legion as the recovery effort continued.

 Despite the tragedy they were embroiled in, Mr. Morash and Ms Miller found something positive in the whole experience.

 "Every major disaster has some good outcome," added Morris Poirier, who was site manager of Halifax Ground Search and Rescue. In addition to the friendships made, the response from communities along St. Margarets Bay was heartening.

 "It was more than overwhelming to us," Mr. Poirier said, "to be involved with a group of people who would just welcome you in their homes overnight so you'd have a comfortable bed to sleep in."

  He was stationed near Whalesback for nearly two months, overseeing search and rescue teams from as far away as New Brunswick. He had two reasons for being at Thursday's gathering.

  "I want to meet some of my buddies that I met there. I haven't seen them in about 10 months," Mr. Poirier said. "We made friends for life."

  He'd also been asked to represent ground search and rescue in lighting a candle later that night at the Candlelight Vigil on Citadel Hill.

  "I feel very proud that they asked me to do that. Ground search and rescue troops in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are one hell of a bunch. They deserve every credit they get and I'm proud to represent them," he said.

  Rev. Gloria McClure-Fraser, a New Germany minister and RCMP chaplain, also attended Thursday's commemorative gathering. Last fall, she worked primarily with RCMP officers and other recovery workers at Peggy's Cove and spent some time with families at the morgue at Shearwater. Last week, she served as a care giver assisting victims' relatives who returned to Nova Scotia for the anniversary of the crash.

  "It's been wonderful," she said. "They are obviously still mourning, that's going to take a long time, but they are able to laugh, they are able to smile. What has been overpowering for me is the gratitude that the families have for everybody who has helped. It's just overwhelming."

 She explained how ground search and rescue volunteers had lined the path to the Bayswater interment site for Wednesday morning's service.

 "When the families came down, they shook their hands," Rev. McClure-Fraser said. "They thanked people. It was spontaneous.

 "I've had people come up to me and hug me and say 'you people of Nova Scotia are so wonderful.'" she added. "They feel comfortable that their family members are here, because they know that they will be well taken care of here.

 "It's brought a sense of closure for me," she said. "They're okay so I'm okay to be okay. That's how I feel."

 The commemorative gathering was also attended by provincial, national and international dignitaries. Among them was Prime Minister Jean Chr&é;tien, who acknowledged the grief of victims' relatives while praising those involved in the aftermath of the Flight 111 crash.

 "If anything good has come out of this terrible tragedy, it has been the response of the people of Blandford, the area of Peggy's Cove and all of Nova Scotia," the prime minister said. "Those who raced out to the crash site, the skilled professionals who worked around the clock, and, above all, the kind souls who opened their homes and their hearts.

 "All of Canada is proud of what you did and continue to do," he added. "There is no undoing what happened that night, but I want the families who are here tonight to know that you will not be forgotten. I know I can speak for everyone who was there for you during those terrible days last September when I ask you to think of them as family and of this place as home."

 The president of the Swiss Confederation, Ruth Dreifuss, also addressed the gathering. She offered Switzerland's sympathy to the families with assurances that their loved ones won't be forgotten. She also thanked those who were part of the rescue attempt and the later recovery operation.

 French representative Charles Josselin expressed the sympathy of his country to the families, particularly those of the 50 French nationals on board Flight 111. He thanked Nova Scotians for the "extraordinary show of solidarity and human kindness" and "tremendous outpouring of compassion."

 Jane Garvey, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, read a letter from U.S. President Bill Clinton. In it, the president said the hard lessons of the crash must be used to improve the safety of others.

 RCMP Commissioner Philip Murray also spoke about how many people have been greatly affected by the disaster.

 "If we can draw some light from this tragedy, it is that we have all become closer," he said.

 Premier John Hamm said Nova Scotians live by an unwritten code that no call for aid shall go unanswered.

 "I'm proud to say that once again the people of Nova Scotia have honoured our code with their hands and hearts," Dr. Hamm said. "We hope we have made these days just a little easier."

 Left: Families of the victims of Swissair Flight 111 gave Nova Scotians a standing ovation during Thursday's commemorative gathering in Halifax. During the applause, a local woman, left, emerged from the crowd to hug a weeping relative of one of the 229 who died.

 Right: The praise heaped upon all those involved in the aftermath of last September's crash by families in Nova Scotia last week for the anniversary of the tragedy was almost unending. During Thursday's commemorative gathering, Daniel Bouchout and Myron Ratnavale said thank you again on behalf of the families. Mr. Bouchout lost his son in the crash. Mr. Ratnavale lost his parents.

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Sep 8, 1999

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