Permanent memorial dedicated for Bowen, 14
Villa Park, IL
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On Feb. 11,
2006, 14-year-old Kristen Bowen of Lombard died crossing the railroad tracks
while taking a shortcut along the tracks about a quarter mile from Addison
Road, near North Terrace Park in Villa Park.
The Willowbrook
student’s death galvanized the community into demanding fencing along the
tracks in popular crossing areas in Lombard and Villa Park. A special railroad
safety task force consisting of state officials, Union Pacific chiefs and law
enforcement representatives also was formed.
Kristen’s
family erected a temporary memorial to her at North Terrace Park. But
17-year-old Tiffany Davis, who knew Kristen and helped raise funds to install
fencing, decided a permanent memorial was needed.
“It was something
I felt I wanted to do for myself, the family and the community,” Tiffany said.
After Kristen’s
death Tiffany became the youngest member in Illinois of Operation Lifesavers,
an organization that promotes railroad safety; she hopes the permanent memorial
raises awareness. She raised funds for it through a car wash and two battle of
the bands events.
The memorial,
which is dedicated to Kristen and anyone else who has lost their lives on the
railroad, was dedicated Saturday morning.
“It turned out
better than we expected,” said Villa Park Trustee John Davis, Tiffany’s father
and author of Kristen’s Law, which seeks to put barriers along tracks that are
near schools and parks. Davis hopes to get the law adopted on the state level
and then at the federal level.
He estimated
that about 60 people came out for the ceremony.
Ray Zukowski,
Kristen’s father and founder of Targeting Education Awareness & Railroad
Safety, was pleased with the turnout.
“It was
wonderful,” Zukowski said. “Everything went really well.”
Like Tiffany,
he hopes the memorial will act as a deterrent to anyone who’s considering
unsafe behavior on the tracks. The memorial consists of a large boulder with a
bronze plaque on it, an oak tree and 200 tulips.
“We’re hoping
the memorial will save lives just like the fence will,” he said.
Photo by
Erica Benson
Kristen Bowen's sister Margie McCaleb (left) and
friend Tiffany
Davis lay down flowers beside the memorial at North Terrace Park on Saturday.
Photo by Erica
Benson
Kristen Bowen's
father Ray Zukowski and
friend Tiffany
Davis gather Saturday at
North Terrace
Park in Villa Park for a
memorial in
Bowen's memory.