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Photo: Brandon Smith/IPBS
Victims' families cry at the dedication of a memorial plaque at the State Fairgrounds.
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Photo: Brandon Smith/IPBS
A memorial plaque was dedicated Thursday at the Indiana State Fairground in Indianapolis.
Indiana State Fair leaders Thursday gathered with family members of those who died in last year’s stage collapse to dedicate a memorial at the state fairgrounds.
A memorial plaque with the names of those who died as a result of last year’s stage collapse now rests under the grandstands at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Fair Board President Steve Simmerman says he hopes the memorial will help those who attend the fair in years to come remember those who died.
“I will daily pay my respects to the people who’ve been affected. And I’ll remember the actions taken by the first responders and the Hoosier heroes who came to the aid of the injured on the night of August 13,” he says. “This plaque will help me do that.”
Pendleton resident Andrea Vellinga’s skull was crushed in the collapse, leading to weeks spent in a coma. Now recovering, Vellinga says it’s important the State Fair created the memorial
“Because we’re all victims and it helps create a legacy for all of us,” she says.
Vellinga says Thursday’s ceremony is likely the last time she’ll ever come to the fairgrounds.
