‘Needs to be kept alive’ | Man working to restore family’s memorial bench

By Brodie Myers

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    TULSA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — A Tulsa family called 2 News upset after a park bench, memorializing loved ones, suddenly vanished from Katy Trail.

John Litterell is the only living survivor of what some call Tulsa’s worst car accident ever.

“After the wreck, until I was 14 years old, I used to have dreams, of falling backwards into water, and going down like I was going to drown,” Litterell said, “By the time the water, was about to come up to my face, I’d wake up,” Litterell said.

Those dreams were rooted in reality. The accident sent Litterell flying into a ravine filled with freezing water. He said a heroic bystander whisked him from the water, saving his life.

The railroad tracks are now converted into trails, trading trains for bicycles and pedestrians.

“Parks department here, allowed us to put a memorial here, with a park bench,” Litterell said.

Litterell and other survivors erected the bench in 1999, 50 years after the wreck, spending their money on the project. One day, recently, the bench vanished.

“I’m not mad at anybody, it’s just, you know, we’d just like to see it remedied in some way,” Litterell said, “Because it is a memorial that needs to be kept alive.”

Litterell called city leaders, but with little response, and eventually called 2 News. A crew met Litterell at the memorial site and called Tulsa River Parks Executive Director Jeff Edwards.

In a follow-up email, Edwards said crews removed the bench at the request of law enforcement, citing repeated vandalism and crime.

Litterell knew some homeless people liked to spend time at the bench, “When I come by, I pray, and pray for them, you know, that they’ll find some solace there,” Litterell said.

Edwards added that donors, like the Litterells, are not guaranteed any notification if their memorial is removed. He kept open the possibility of some kind of replacement, so the souls are immortalized.

HONORING THE FALLEN

Sally Litterell Mattie Bell Litterell Claudia Sue Aery Mary Lou Litterell Helen Litterell Wanda Litterell Anthony LItterell

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