John Murphy (Number 17), a retired New York firefighter and now claims adjuster for Acordia Resort and Recreation, was attending the Ski Areas of New York trade show on September 11, 2001. Upon hearing of the attack on the World Trade Center, he immediately went to his old station in the Bronx and volunteered to help work 12-hour shifts, sifting through the rubble, in search of the many missing people. Murphy said, “It’s really hard to imagine the destruction until you are there. I’m just glad I was able to help my old friends out.”
If there’s one thing the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 taught us, it’s that no one was immune to the violence perpetrated by the hijackers. Though it may be too soon to tell what its effects will be on the ski industry, it has claimed the life of one of our own.
Jeremy Glick, a 31-year-old New Jersey resident who spent his weekends teaching skiing at Ski Windham, N.Y., was one of those believed to have helped thwart the plans of hijackers on United Airlines flight 93. That plane, with 44 people on board, was bound from Newark to San Francisco and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
According to friends, Glick—who left behind his wife, Lyzbeth, and their three-month-old daughter, Emerson—was a powerful athlete with expertise in wrestling and a national ranking in judo. As a result, it is widely accepted that Glick and at least two other passengers fought with the hijackers after they learned of the two earlier planes crashing into the twin World Trade Center towers in New York. In fact, Glick was one of the passengers who made cell phone calls to family to say goodbye and explain there were plans to try and take back the plane. Glick was headed to the West Coast on business for an Internet company.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Glick is survived by his parents and five siblings. A fund has been set up for Glick’s daughter. To donate, checks should be made out to: Emerson Glick, c/o Merrill-Lynch, Box 911, Windham, NY 12496.
Like most people around the nation, the staff at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Pa., huddled around televisions on September 11, stunned at the events that unfolded that morning. Unlike most of the nation, the resort is just 20 miles from where United Airlines flight 93 crashed killing all 44 people on board.
Photo by Sean Stipp, Greensburg Tribune Review
By early afternoon, staff was at work preparing for the arrival of the United Airlines emergency disaster team. At first, 40 United personnel arrived. The resort checked them in, fed them and then gave them a tour of the conference facilities. Seeing a base of operations for their recovery effort, the United people called in 70 more airline workers and set up shop in Seven Springs’ new 35,000-square-foot Skier Services Building. One level became the operations center and the top floor was called the “family room” for the private use of family members of the crash victims. Seven Springs also became the temporary base for the American Red Cross, which sent about 50 staff. Both groups stayed 11 days.
“Seven Springs was a good location because it is near the site and is in a bit of a remote area,” said Joe Hopkins, media relations manager for United Airlines, “so, for families who were grieving, it was a relaxed environment for them to meet with other families, Red Cross and clergy.” Hopkins, who stayed at the resort for 10 days, added the resort staff always seemed to go the extra step in making sure family members and emergency workers were well-cared for. “We can’t say enough for the people of Seven Springs,” he said. “They helped with everything, made sure there was hot food three times a day, supplied great security, helped with funeral arrangements and did everything to enable us to continue with our work.”
“United Airlines and the Red Cross did an outstanding job and we just assisted in any way we could,” said Bender. The resort helped arrange transportation, provided telephones and made about 500 family members of victims as comfortable as could be expected. Many arrived without the basics and resort staff provided for their needs, sometimes distributing jackets for visiting the site or memorial services. “We did whatever it took for those folks,” said Bender.
“From the evening of the accident,” Bender added, “knowing United was going to be here along with the families of the victims, we didn’t have time to be somber. . . . Having them here and working to make people comfortable helped get us going again.”
