Skala family and friends offer prayers of hope (10/07/01)

Skala family and friends offer prayers of hope

by Andriy Bihun
CYMnet

NEW YORK - The September 11 terrorist attack on New York City has deeply affected not only Americans, but the public around the world. Those close to New York City stared at television screens in disbelief as events unfurled before their eyes that day, but one young adult member of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) was much closer to the scene than most.

Ivan "Yash" Skala, a 31-year-old SUM member from Passaic, N.J., is a paramedic as well as a Port Authority Police officer, serving at Manhattan's Lincoln Tunnel. On the morning of September 11, Officer Skala reported to work at 7 a.m. Approximately two hours later, he and fellow officers were among the very first who were notified about an emergency at the World Trade Center immediately after a plane struck the first building.

According to an account by the The Record, a northern New Jersey newspaper, friend and fellow officer Robert Greff said he was there when Mr. Skala volunteered to enter the buildings of the WTC. "I helped snap on his Scott Air Pack and tighten the belt. The last thing I did was I grabbed him by the face and told him to be careful. I had all the intentions of seeing him afterwards," Mr. Greff related.

Officer Skala entered the building in a race to assist in the disaster unfolding on the floors above. In the ensuing minutes, as an inferno began to build in the floors around the plane crash and as the entire building became unstable, he continued to work assisting others within that building.

Approximately one hour later, at 10:05 a.m., the south tower collapsed, plummeting into the streets below and leveling the building. As the day progressed, it became clear that although many members of the Port Authority Police had made their way to safety before the collapse, Officer Skala was among the missing.

Port Authority Police officers and other rescue workers were soon digging through the rubble, trying to locate those who had been trapped in the fallen buildings. As the search continues, Mr. Skala's family, friends, fellow SUMivtsi and everyone who knows him continue to pray in the hope that he will be found safe and soon.

Olia Figol, past president of Passaic's SUM branch, held back tears as she spoke about her friend since childhood. "Yash is a very giving, generous person. He works two jobs, always helps anyone he can, in any way he can. He always volunteers to help SUM and the Ukrainian community. He has taught first aid at summer camps and has assisted with security as well, whenever our children travel to Zlet in Ellenville in the spring, and at the Ukrainian Center here in Passaic."

Ms. Figol went on to say, "He is a wonderful, wonderful friend to all. We all pray that he's safe."

At St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Passaic, friends and family gathered in the days after the disaster to pray for Mr. Skala and others trapped beneath the World Trade Center. Other Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox communities around the United States also have held services and vigils.

SUMivtsi in Passaic and other branches nearby have gathered to pray and to be together during such a difficult time. SUMivtsi around the world are sharing prayers of hope for a fellow SUM member Ivan, and are offering thanks to all who have volunteered to help in the search for those still missing.

Mr. Skala's immediate family and his entire SUM family have asked the community to please remember Ivan Skala in their prayers.

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In related news, the family of Oleh Wengerchuk, 56, a Ukrainian American engineer who worked for Washington Group International on the 92nd floor of the World Trade Center's Tower 2, announced that he is among those missing in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on New York.

A liturgy and panakhyda were scheduled for Saturday, October 6, at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in New York.

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