For the community of Saint Augstine High School, the crash of PSA Flight 182 is a big part of its history. Lessons that are being taught from generation to generation.
For Saint Augustine students in North Park, this building is more than just a lecture hall or a theatre.
46 years ago it became a backdrop to a big part of their community’s history.
When PSA Flight 182 crashed just blocks away from the Saints campus. The building which was the high school gym was used as a triage center for crash victims and would eventually become a morgue.
John O’Beirne is the Assistant Principal of Student Services at Saint Augustine.
He grew up in North Park and attended Saints. He remembers the day of the crash and felt it was important to show students how their school stepped up to help.
He says, “ One of the values of Saint Augustine High School is community. I think it’s important students realize when we’re apart of community ,you have to give and serve the community . That day things were needed of Saint Augustine High School."
And it’s a lesson that has opened their eyes to working together as a community.
Jack Parada, a Senior says, “ I learned a lot more about what happened before I had only known the planes ran into each other. I didn’t know what happened behind the scenes. Why our school is so respected for it. Because they did jump in and help out a lot.”
Even though this crash happened decades before these students were even born, students say hearing about it and meeting the people impacted directly by the crash has taught them important life lessons.
Caelyb Aguirre, a student says, “Moments will happen. Good, bad, amazing. But we must just take them, go with them, adjust to them, and help anyway we can and make an impact on the community around us.”
Student Tommy Battaglia says, “ Obviously, it was 40 years ago it’s hard for me to connect to it, but I was able to connect as I saw all of them so upset, and moved by it and just the gratefulness on their face that saints was able to contribute.”
