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Dunkirk Remembers Six Students Killed In Crash With Train

The memorial plaque that is displayed in the Dunkirk High School courtyard.

According to an article in the Nov. 2, 1987, edition of the Dunkirk Evening Observer: “The accident happened at about 3:22 a.m. at the South Roberts Road grade crossing when the driver of the southbound car drove around the flashing signal gate and into the path of a westbound train, police said.”

The novelist Dave Eggers wrote “The death of a young person for no reason is an apocalypse.” That is what it felt like for the friends, family and entire community of Dunkirk when six high school students lost their lives in a tragic accident 30 years ago in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 1987. An apocalypse of mourning and disbelief, shock and sorrow washed over the school, through the streets and alleys, the stores and factories, and the homes of our small city.

That apocalyptic feeling was recorded in the Evening Observer on Wednesday, Nov. 4: “As word of the tragedy spread on Sunday, a hush seemed to descend upon the whole community. By Monday morning at Dunkirk High School, as one reporter noted, ‘The silence was deafening.’

“There is little that can be said to ease their sorrow and sense of loss except that the whole community shares their grief.”

The article, one of many written about the event that still reverberates for those who lived through it, ends with their names and serves as a kind of oracle:

The plaque commemorating the six Dunkirk High School students — three seniors and three juniors — killed 30 years ago Wednesday. The plaque used to hand in the DHS hallway, but was taken down during renovations. The school is currently looking for an appropriate location to hang it.

“Randy Haase, Robert Radloff, Melissa Ziegler, Paula Kuschel, Jennifer Styborski and Jody Wdowiasz will live on in the hearts and fond memories of their families and classmates for many decades to come.”

This Wednesday will mark the third decade of life without them and judging by the response from the community when informed about the writing of this story on Facebook, they are far from forgotten.

REMEMBRANCE

“It was one of those events that you will always remember where you were when it happened,” said class of 1989 alumnus Kevin Polowy, who spent some childhood time with Rob Radloff in Cub Scouts.

“I still remember going to work that Monday,” wrote retired Dunkirk High School math teacher John Sliwa. “The school was so quiet. Most of the students were so in shock all they could do was cry and share hugs with each other. My thoughts go out to their families who lost children way too soon.”

“I remember very clearly the call I received from my dad, William Radloff, the morning after the tragic accident,” recalled Brad Radloff. “Rob was one of the best brothers I could ever have — fun, caring, gentle, unless he was playing basketball or football.”

“Paula was very outgoing, friendly and very helpful,” said John Kuschel, Paula’s father. “I remember she had Bon Jovi posters all over the walls and ceilings of her bedroom. She loved going to Letchworth park, she liked camping. She was good at making free-throws; her two older brothers taught her. She knew how to handle herself; she was strong-willed.”

“Jody was my sister,” said Lisa Wdowiaz Nasca. “I was 22 when she got killed. I lived on Townsend Street right where the train hit. That night she was at my house at 11 p.m. My other sister and I were having dinner with our guys and hanging out when Jody knocked on the door. She just wanted to say ‘hey’, that she had been at a party and she named all the people she was with. She said she missed her grandmother who had died (recently) and we had buried her a couple days before.

“I said ‘be careful’ and I watched her walk back to Jennifer Styborski’s and that was it.”

“Jennifer sat in front of me in the sixth grade at Dunkirk Middle School and we chatted a lot about cute boys,” recalled Michelle Jackson. “She had a sarcastic, know-it-all personality that rubbed off on me and it was hilarious.”

“Missy Ziegler was my best friend and growing up we spent quite a lot of time with Paula as well because her grandma lived next to Missy,” said Dawn Kostrzycki. “I remember ice skating at the basketball court because they used to fill it in winter. (Missy) made me play tennis and baseball. We made a girl team with four or five of us and played the boys in the neighborhood (this included Paula Kuschel too). We always thought one day we would beat them! When we were teens we were in the drum corp color guard for Hose 4 and worked serving for parties at the dog house. I did give my only daughter her name for a middle name and boy did my daughter get her spunkiness!”

“Rob and I had been on the swim team since middle school,” wrote Rob Manzella, fellow Class of 1988 alumnus. “When we hit high school, Randy joined the team and surprised us all. He worked hard at being competitive and became a really good swimmer. Don’t get me wrong, he was still Randy, if there was an opportunity to make a smart remark while getting yelled at by the coach, he would always capitalized on it. Rob would be standing right next to him, and his face would turn beat red from unsuccessfully holding in his infectious laugh. Then, the entire team would lose it.”

“We all met up at high school and hung out at homecoming, parties,” said Susan Briggs Campese. “Randy was part of the fire department. Volunteer fireman. He was 18 at the time. There was an accident. Randy was helping the paramedics getting the driver out. He would give his shirt off his back. He was always the first to help anyone off the street.

“They’ll never be forgotten; they’ll always be part of the Class of ’88. We share that bond.”

“(The accident was) so sad,” wrote Paulette Nalepa Morein. “Jennifer was a very close friend of the family. Our families were neighbors. Her sister and I grew up together. Crossing those tracks still haunts me.”

“(I was) friends with them all,” wrote Tracie Robinson Young. “Missy, Paula and Jennifer will always hold a special place in my heart. we used to play together every day after school when we went to School 6. Missy taught me how to ice skate. At least she tried to. We used to go from Missy’s house to Paula’s grandmother’s house around the corner from the Ziegler’s. Good-hearted people. I will never forget.”

Now, 30 years after the accident, there is a metal plaque displayed in the high school courtyard commemorating the six students, friends, classmates, sons and daughters who left our world way too son.

That plaque stands next to another memorial plaque commemorating the life and work of former DHS Principal John Mancuso. He acted as much as a father to all his students as he did an administrator, and it showed as powerfully as ever, the Monday after the accident.

“We feel strongly about you,” Mancuso said through tears. “We try to create the concept of family. What happens to you has a very strong effect on me — on all of us. Appreciate you are alive, renew your faith … and hug your sister and brother and parents today.”

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