WAWAYANDA, NEW YORK: Beatrice Ferrari, one of the two people who died in a New York bus crash on Thursday, September 21 was a retired teacher and a longtime band camp volunteer.
Despite her retirement 17 years ago, the 77-year-old woman volunteered as a band camp chaperone. She was killed in the tragic accident in Wawayanda which is about 75 miles northwest of New York City, reported NBC News.
Who are the New York bus crash victims?
According to New York state officials, the accident occurred when a bus carrying 40 students and four adults, including band director Gina Pellettiere from Farmingdale School District in Long Island to a band camp in Pennsylvania.
The bus veered off the road and fell down a 50-foot ravine which resulted in fatalities and several critical injuries.
43-year-old Pellettiere was the other victim in the fatal crash and five students were critically wounded.
Beatrice Ferrari remembered for her unwavering commitment to students
Ferrari, who was known for her service and commitment to the students, continued to volunteer for the band as she loved spending time with them.
Speaking about her mother's decision to work after retirement, her daughter Angela Ferrari-Aldieri said, "She went on her own because she really cared."
Ferrari-Aldieri, who was volunteering for the band as lead chaperone was already at the band camp in Pennsylvania on Thursday when the news of the accident broke.
"To be quite honest, I really didn’t believe it," she said. "I was like, 'No, that can’t be,'" she said of her initial disbelief upon hearing about the crash.
She then arrived at the hospital where her mother was shifted from the crash scene. However, Beatrice succumbed to her injuries.
"I still think that this is not real, to be really honest, that this is completely surreal," said Ferrari-Aldieri.
Beatrice who was affectionately known as Grandma Bea worked as a teacher at the high school for 32 years. Including her 17 years of retirement, she had volunteered for the band camp for 31 years.
Ferrari-Aldieri further talked about her mother's willingness to mentor new teachers at the school, which later led to her friendship with Pellettiere.
"And my mom was very special in that she always liked to be a mentor to the new teachers that would come on board at her school, and she and Gina developed a friendship just by being across the hall," she said.
"And Gina said we have to keep this tradition, you have to keep coming to band camp," she added.
2024 would have marked Beatrice Ferrari's final year at band camp
For 19 years, Ferrari and Pellettiere attended the Farmingdale school's band camp together. Next year would have marked Ferrari's final year as a volunteer at the band camp.
"I’m here tonight to honor my mom and to tell everybody, 'Hey, if you have a memory of my mom, I want you to hold on to it,' because that’s what she would want," said Ferrari-Aldieri.
"She would want you to remember something fun that she did or how she helped you. And honestly, that is the most powerful thing that I can say, I just want people — if you knew my mom — just remember her well," she added.
