As the city paused to remember the tragedy that enveloped a rock concert 45 years ago, families and friends gathered to mark the solemn anniversary of the events that unfolded during a 1979 concert by The Who. The commemoration brought together those who bore the weight of loss when 11 attendees tragically perished during a stampede at the Riverfront Coliseum.
On December 3rd, 1979, the venue, now known as the Heritage Bank Center, became the site of unimaginable horror as thousands of fans surged forward to secure a vantage point for the eagerly anticipated performance. "It was a tragedy and thank God some good came out that, with legislations and federal laws to prevent overselling of venues," Kasey Ladd, whose mother died in the event, told WLWT.
Years after the incident, efforts to enshrine the memories of the lost continue to resonate within the community. A scholarship fund named P.E.M. Memorial Scholarship Fund now honors Finneytown High School students Stephan Preston, Jackie Eckerle, and Karen Morrison, who perished that night. According to FOX19, Fred Wittenbaum, a committee member, said, "The objective was to keep our three friends' names alive. Keep their memories alive." The fund has since been a beacon of hope, offering scholarships to aspiring artists and musicians.
Recounting the scholarship's impact, committee member Toni Hutchins expressed, "It gets us every time, every single time," as detailed by FOX19. In a reunion imbued with bittersweet reminiscence, the committee celebrated the aid it has rendered to the students. Complementing these efforts, The Who contributed their proceeds from a 2022 concert, amounting to $515,000, to fund additional scholarships remembering all victims of the 1979 tragedy.
The annual event outside the arena also saw a permanent memorial marker unveiling in 2015, a testament to those who lost their lives. As reported by Local12, this year's memorial drew relatives and friends alike, all sharing a collective moment of grief and remembrance, cementing the promise that the community will continue to honor the memories of those lost for years.
