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On March 17, 2001, Stella
(Stasia) Riehl boarded the Amtrak California Zephyr in Osceola, Iowa to
return home to Colorado Springs, Colorado. This, after suffering the loss of
her brother a few days before.
"Uncle Tony" spent the last
few years of his life subjected to tortuous abuse at the hands of thieving,
unscrupulous attendants within a nursing facility and Stasia lived those times
feeling his pain. Now that Stasia had finished raising two children, with four
grandchildren nearly adults, she felt her duty was to assure her elderly and
disabled brother was safe and away from all harm. She tirelessly arranged for
his protection for the previous 4 years to his death on March 15, 2001.
Being elderly herself, she sent her
son to Iowa to provide close supervision of Uncle Tony's recovery but the
stress from abuse proved too much. Uncle Tony passed away a few short hours
before Stasia's arrival to see him one last time. She was devastated that she
was not able to do more to provide for his safety but she realized his
liberation from suffering by his passing. This allowed her some relief toward
guilt that she felt for not being available to attend to him from across many
miles.
During the days before boarding the
California Zephyr to return home, she found courage to look past the death of
her brother and spoke of her anticipation toward her new life before her. A
life that no longer included the experiences of misery, torment, or events she
had no control over. She was ready to enjoy the rest of her life and expressed
her dreams of the days that great grandchildren would fill her heart. That
dream was stolen from her as she lay dying along the tracks in rural Iowa
shortly after her departure from Osceola.
Those stolen dreams drive this
attempt to bring light to the last chapter of Stasia's life, and how it should
have never come about. It is an attempt by the family of Stasia to bring forth
the truth about falsehoods surrounding the safety of loved ones who travel
with, work for, or live by railroad operations across this nation. Since the
March 17th tragedy, much has been learned to discern between the facts and the
misleadings surrounding the inexcusable terror that hundreds of traveling
passengers where forced to endure that evening. It is sad that the truth is
being hidden from the public about the irresponsible operations of an industry
that cares little about the lives of loved ones. The horror does not end with
the events of the Nodaway derailment. Although the railroad industry is not the
only industry that shames our great nation by believing that lives are less
important than financial reports, it is the industry this organization will
focus on. The truth expands well beyond any one railroad operation owner or
government entity, and it better defines the term "shocking truth",
as more and more is learned everyday. The truth must not remain silenced or the
future loss of loved one's lives will continue unencumbered.
The National Rail Safety Alliance is
formed to be a clearinghouse of information and a force to approach any issue
important to railroad safety. The NRSA is an independent voice speaking out for
concerned citizens across this nation. The NRSA accepts NO government or
corporate money and donations from private citizens are politely declined.
Public presentations, safety watches
with alerts, cooperative electronic communications, and organized influence for
provisions assuring the safety of loved ones is the mission of the National
Rail Safety Alliance.
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