Photos: 2011 Hurricane Fabian Memorial Ride
The 8th Annual Remembrance Ride for the victims of Hurricane Fabian was held today [Sept 4], with riders starting from City Hall and making their way to Ferry Reach.
The event serves to honour the memories of the four people who were swept from the Causeway by Hurricane Fabian on September 5th 2003; Constable Stephen Symons, Constable Nicole O’Connor, Station Duty Officer Gladys Saunders and Corporation of Hamilton employee Manuel Pacheco.
Eight years ago Fabian made a direct hit on Bermuda with wind speeds of over 120 mph [195 km/h], and was the first hurricane to cause a death on the island since 1926.
The Bermuda Longriders rode – with a Police escort – from City Hall to the Memorial Bench in St. George’s which was erected to honour those lost.
A Police boat hovered offshore at Ferry Reach paying their respects, and former Police Commissioner Senator Jonathan Smith and Deputy Commissioner Mike Jackman spoke at the ceremony. A minute of silence was observed at the Memorial Bench, marking the memory of those lost eight years ago.
The ride finished at the Prospect Police Recreation Club where there was a reception with some light refreshments.
The ride is organised by the September 5th Foundation, a registered charity, which was formed to create an endowment fund to assist in the post-secondary education of the children whose parents and grand-parents were lost during the tragic events of Hurricane Fabian.
The initial beneficiaries of the Foundation’s efforts are the surviving children and grand-children of the victims, Zen-Paul Pacheco, Stephen Symons Jr., Kayuntae and Nazyia Saunders.
The Foundation welcomes further contributions to their cause. Cheques can be made payable to the September 5th Foundation and mailed to the Foundation c/o PO Box 530, Hamilton, HM CX.
Click photos to enlarge:
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- Videos: 2011 Hurricane Fabian Memorial Ride | Bernews.com | August 30, 2012
for those of us who weren’t in Bermuda at the time…who were the victims, where were they from, what was the circumstance of their death?
It’s in the second paragraph of the story.
I meant in more detail…
how much more detail do you want?! They died in the Hurricane!!!
Police Officers Stephen Symons, Nicole O’Connor and Station Duty Officer Gladys Saunders were all in one Police vehicle on the Causeway at about 2:30pm near the height of the hurricane. The two Police Officers were trying to take Gladys Saunders home after she had recently finished her shift. About halfway across the Causeway, the police vehicle was swamped by the storm surge and the engine cut out. They tried to make their way across the Causeway on foot but were swept away by the storm surge. Manuel Pacheco, an employee of the Corporation who was in another vehicle suffered a similar fate. Only Stephen Symons’ body was found despite many days of searching several square miles of water and the shorelines.
why is the deputy commissioner of police standing with his hands in his pockets?
I guess because he didn’t want to put his hand on his hips like the other gentleman on the end. Your question is pointless.