OSO, Wash. — As families and friends of the victims of the Oso Slide gathered to mark five years since the tragedy, planning is underway to build a permanent memorial to honor those who died, along with the first responders.
The memorial will be located off Steelhead Drive along State Route 530 between Arlington & Darrington.
Right now, 43 trees stood alongside the freeway, which was renamed the Oso Slide Memorial Highway last month by the Washington State Transportation Commission.
Many families of the victims are working with Snohomish County Parks officials to help design the memorial and raise money for the project.
Among them is Dayn Brunner, who lost his little sister, Summer Raffo, in the slide.
He was the one who pulled her body out of her car.
“It doesn’t feel like it’s been five years at all. It feels like yesterday,” said Brunner. “It’s going to be very emotional. Year five is big.”
Scroll down to continue reading
More news from KIRO 7
Brunner is the emcee of the remembrance ceremony for the victims happening today. He said the victims, along with the first responders who helped in the massive search and rescue effort, deserve a permanent memorial.
“It’s going to ensure the legacy of Summer lives on and the other 42 victims,” said Brunner. “And it’s going to honor the 11 survivors, first responders.”
Jessica Pszonka is also helping in the effort to build this new memorial. She lost six family members in the Oso Slide, including her sister, Katie, and Katie’s two young sons.
“It’s not fair that they were taken this way,” said Pszonka. “For some reason, trauma like this, it just sticks, stays for a long time.”
Pszonka said a permanent memorial will go a long way in her family’s healing process, offering a place people where can come and find comfort and honor those they lost.
It’s estimated the memorial will cost around $4 to $6 million. So far, about $75,000 has been raised.
For more information on the memorial and how the public can help donate, click here.
Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/V5TWF6CJAZFXBLDTZXOE47OMN4.jpg)
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/03-07-2024/t_a04eea43993e4d4a91177d329640b460_name_Tran_6p_Everett_Woman_homicide_LL_pkg_frame_22938.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/NYVRWY47SFB65FDAQYA23H7SPQ.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/TPRYVPUEEVAUXG5T2JQYMRZBGM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/3BS7G5MQWFBX3BFDTNRKEQQVWY.jpg)