On Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022 at 2:03 p.m. EST, the Syracuse University community gathered in person and virtually for the annual Pan Am Flight 103 Memorial Service. The service, hosted by the Dean and Chaplains of Hendricks Chapel, honored the 270 people, including Syracuse University study abroad students, who were killed when Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland on that date and time 34 years ago. A recording of the service is available below.

An annual memorial service was also held by the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. at the Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery. Speakers for this event were Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Lord Advocate of Scotland Dorothy Bain, and Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 President Kara Weipz. A recording and photographs of the Arlington National Cemetery service are available on the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. website at this link.

Remembrances for the 2021 Pan Am Flight 103 Memorial Service

The following remembrances were submitted by members of the Syracuse University and Lockerbie, Scotland communities, and family and friends of the victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing in advance of the 2022 annual memorial service hosted virtually by Hendricks Chapel on Dec. 21.

“I remember thinking how odd it was that anyone would be calling the house. The 5 guys I lived with on Westcott had already gone home for the winter break and I rarely got calls. It was Lauren (Henry). Somehow she had learned that people we knew from the Drama Department were likely on a plane that had just crashed. As the news started to come in it turned out that she was right: Miriam, Turhan, Theo and Nicole were on 103 as was Alexia who I knew from Shaw 5. Their images, where I saw them last, conversations we had, my feelings towards them, emptiness and disbelief flowed through my head. It all still does. Alex lived a couple of doors down and across the hall from me and Mark on Shaw 5. We never really talked but I remember her being friendly and I think she liked to play volleyball. I remember being in someone’s room on either Shaw 4 or 5. Theo was sitting on a bed talking very enthusiastically about something ‘artsy.’ I know we talked and hung out on other occasions for but for some reason that memory has always stayed with me. Despite being in the same class, Miriam and I were rarely in the same classes. Back in those days, and I don’t know if this has since changed, Drama majors and Musical Theatre majors didn’t take many of the same classes but I remember her bubbly nature and her curly hair. Turhan came in as a transfer student or something I think. I remember seeing this guy for the first time and thinking “Oh-oh. This is one handsome Dude.” He and I spoke numerous times in the lobby of the Drama Department and I quickly realized that he was a really nice guy. And finally, Nicole. Nicole was quiet, shy and beautiful. She was also really good at everything; a true ‘triple-threat’. Despite never having more than a class or two together in 3 years, I miss her the most and have the most vivid memories: The bus ride we shared on a cold, snowy day from Skytop to wherever we would take the bus to when going to the theater, was the only time we ever actually talked; and her studying something on the floor in the lobby of the drama department, sitting as only a dancer does. These memories hurt but in my mind I can still see them as alive as they were 34 years ago and that makes me smile a little also.” – Lawrence Richards

“All of the Hornung’s thoughts and wishes are with The Berrell Family and all of the other families that suffered as a result of this horrific tragedy.” – Robert Hornung

“Amy Shapiro was a beautiful, fun-loving, and kind soul. I will never forget watching the news at the Kappa Kappa Gamma house, when all her sisters found out she was on that plane. My love goes out to her family and friends on this Memorial Day.” – Kristin Younger

“Another year. It’s now 34. We were too young to deal with terrorism. And you were too young to lose your lives. To my Syracuse classmates and friends on PanAm Flight 103: You are never forgotten. Dec 21, 1988 will always stay with us.” – Linda Epstein

“As a 2016-17 Remembrance Scholar, I represented Cynthia (Cindy) Smith who was coincidentally from my hometown of Milton, Massachusetts. It is great to see that there is another suspect for the bombing now in U.S. custody as announced in the news on December 11th. The following morning I woke up to a beautiful white dove sitting on my balcony. I had never seen one there before, especially not on the 20th floor of my high rise apartment building. I know this was a sign from you Cindy—the dove being a symbol of peace, freedom, and love. My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to all those who knew her and thank you to all the public servants who continue to work this investigation. ❤️ 🕊️ Sincerely, Clayton Baker 2016-17 Remembrance Scholar Senior Security Consultant at Mandiant (now part of Google Cloud).” – Clayton Baker

“As an SU student waiting to hear from friends traveling back from a semester abroad I remember the news as if it was yesterday. These students didn’t have a tomorrow on earth, but they did impact on all of ours. Thank you to the parents, family and friends of those lost- by sharing these souls with us, and for showing such grace in times of tragedy. May we remember with peace and comfort in the joy they brought.” – Susan Hand

“As I do this time each year I’m thinking about my fraternity brother, Steve Berrell, who was one of the SU students on Pan Am 103. My thoughts go out to his older brother, Rob Berrell, who is also my fraternity brother, along with the entire Berrell family.” – Craig Corneliu

“Continuing to pray for family and friends.” – Melinda Mayers

“Forever grateful that Syracuse University continues to honor and remember those lost 34 years ago. Always very proud to have been a Lockerbie and Remembrance Scholar.” – Erin McLaughlin

“Gary, you are always our brother” – Andrew Lill

“Holding Mark Lawrence Tobin close to my heart on this day and always.” – Julie Bengis

“Honoring Wendy Lincoln and her surviving family as I represented Wendy as a 2006-2007 Remembrance Scholar. You will never be forgotten.” – Jessica Kershaw

“I appreciate the invite. This was a horrific tragedy that affected not only the Syracuse University community but all Central New York. I remember being at an SU Basketball game when it was announced. I was also honored to be part of the SU choir that sang at the Dome for a special ceremony.” – Marisa Fagliarone

“I knew Rick Monetti well and went to his funeral and the 25th anniversary service in Arlington Cemetery/DC. May god rest all of their souls.” – Cynthia Gies

“I recall being at my desk at D I P A, when through my periphery I saw the Assistant Director walk speedily past me toward another director’s office. While she breezed by me, she said under her breath “a plane went down”. I immediately knew it was one of our planes full of our students from the semester abroad program. I had met several of the students between the time they were interested in their program until the time they left for it. They would come excitedly into our building to receive or provide information for their upcoming trip. My heart continues to go out to all of the family and friends of these precious, precious students. The lives surrounding them are forever changed, and they will never be forgotten! Praying that the peace of God and His everlasting love comfort you all year long and especially at this most heartfelt time.” – Gia Riccelli

“I remember the news like it was last week. Still tragic.” – Scott Bloom

“I represented Richard Monetti as a Remembrance Scholar in 2009-2010. It was a truly great honor in my time at SU. I am thankful for his family who generously welcomed me and I send my prayers to them.” – Samuel Staton

“I so remember the news. I was overwhelmed and could only look up to the sky and pray.” – Leona Bucci

“I still remember hearing the news of this horrible tragedy the day it happened and always thinking since of the 35 students that died that day who were simply returning home from a routine semester abroad and looking forward to being back home with their families for the holidays. I remember the anguish of the families who lost their loved ones. I remember the years-long criminal investigation and the trial and its eventual bitter conclusion. These memories bring back to me much sadness and shared grief over the senselessness of it all. I wish we could change something about the story but I am at a loss as to how it is possible. It is easy to feel angry, but anger is what those who perpetuated this evil wanted and anger only burns the one with it. We must therefore put anger aside but the sadness will remain, knowing how senseless it all was. We can at least look around us and choose to be better people to those nearby, for the sake of those we lost.” – Aditya Bhatnagar

“I studied in London two years prior and was friends with Steve Boland.” – Scott Peck

“I surprised myself earlier this year when i choked up while narrating the pages of my book that covered my experience at SU during the hours and days after Pan Am 103. So many decades later, I thought my grief over the loss of our classmates had been processed but there it was. In Dec 1988, my sophomore year, I was station manager of Z-89 and helped with the station’s special news coverage (on the 22nd, I got too stoned celebrating the end of finals on the morning of the 21st to be much help, if I’m being honest). I’m proud of how the station and our community came together to comfort one another and share information. I had an interest in doing a study abroad in London myself and so it was heartbreaking that such a positive, life-changing experience could end in tragedy for classmates who must have been brimming with excitement at the adventures they had had in Europe. When I returned to my parents’ home for the holidays that year, my dad and I discussed Pan Am 103 and he said I shouldn’t let that discourage me from applying to the DIPA program for myself. It was too great an experience to give up. I applied and ended up spending my junior year in London with DIPA. I visited Lockerbie in Oct 1989 to pay my respects and I also learned a valuable lesson that when you are in a position of authority (like station manager and now CEO of my own research firm), emergency situations come up and you can’t really be so incapacitated that you can’t help with the response. One of my guiding principles in life comes from the movie Auntie Mame when she says to a reluctant assistant “You’ve got to live! Life is a banquet, and most people are starving to death.” My own time in London was a banquet. Eye-opening and life-changing. And so the thought that led me to choke up recording the audiobook was that these students had experienced the banquet and weren’t able to let their experiences shape a long life. That the rest of the banquet had been taken away from them. I take comfort in knowing they must have had the most incredible time in London just as I ended up having. And their deaths helped inspire me in my life. My heart goes out to the families and friends of those we lost that day and I’m grateful that there is a virtual memorial.” – Robert Volpe

“I think of this day, this tragedy more often than I ever imagined I would. I knew Amy Shapiro and Alex Lowenstein – – both such positive forces of light and love. Beautiful people, and they are forever cemented in my memory as such. Smiling. I think of their families and hope they know there are so many people they do not know that often, and will always, remember their wonderful children.” – Tamara Jurgenson

“I was a cheerleader in 1991 & can still remember the moment of silence at our basketball game that night. We were all in shock. I had a sorority sister on the plane & it seemed everyone on campus had a connection with one of the 35 on that fateful flight. So thankful that we continue to honor their memories & their legacies. ❤️” – Catherine Hauschild

“I was a freshman at SU when this happened, and back then I didn’t appreciate the gravity of what happened. But ever since then I’ve felt a connection to those lost and would be pleased to honor them at this event.” – Rayna Katz

“I was a Remembrance Scholar in 1991. I still feel so honored to have been a part of something so meaningful.” – Karen Iannella

“I was a student at SU at the time. A very sad day for SU and the community.” – Kenneth Sheridan

“I was part of the DIPA London program, and I studied and lived in the same apartment building as those that died in 1988. I will remember them forever.” – Gigi Guarnieri Rosso

“I was scheduled to fly on 103 to London from NY the week after, to visit my friend Joel, who was part of that class abroad. He lived because he stayed in Europe- extended his time abroad.” – Tina Pearl

“I will always remember the horror, shock and giref of that day and those that followed. As a student at that time who was still on campus for finals we sought out other students to hold on to as we watched the news roll out the names catching your breath when a name you were looking for was not there and holding your friend as they cried out when one they were looking for was. We could not comprehend the tragedy and now with my own kids in or graduated from college I still can not comprehend the depth of the tragedy of all the days that were taken from our classmates and all the times their family and friends were robbed of. The children they would have had, never born. The impact they would have shared with the world through their careers, philanthropy, and everyday actions never made. I hope we can give the tiniest bit of solace to their families to let them know we have never and will never forget the profound loss this devastating day brought.” – Katherine Egan

“In loving memory of so many friends lost on that fateful day I will never forget them” – Lisa Fleming

“In memory of my dear friend, Steve Boland.” – Amelia-Susan Tucker

“My heart is with the Lowenstein family and all other families affected by this tragedy. I honor Alex on this day and remember him for the way he lived from a childhood dragon sculpture he made to the waves he surfed.” – Roslyn Esperon

“My son and I visited Scotland in 1999 and were fortunate to be able to spend a couple of nights in Lockerbie. The people were so kind and helpful when they found out we were from Syracuse. Our innkeeper drove us around to see the memorial site, visit the graves of the locals and the SU students who were buried there, etc. I would encourage anyone who is traveling in Scotland to make a stop in this lovely, small town. Especially visit the library, which has an extensive archive of articles and letters that came from all over the world (including the Queen of England) at the time of the tragedy.” – Diana Cramer

“Never forgotten 💙🧡” – Jean Monteforte Capuano

“On this day you are always in my thoughts. I pray you rest in peace.” – Barbara Rinehart

“Praying for those beautiful souls. I remember that day like it was yesterday!” – Edward Diefenbach

“Remembrance Scholar 06-07” – David Hines

“RIP Karen Hunt and Sandy Phillips- I was so glad to have known them both. ❤️” – Jennifer Trice

“Steven Berrell, Scott Cory, Nick Vrenios, Gary Colasanti” – William Rosenstadt

“The crash happened right after friends from my Marion 1 were in a car accident. We lost an RA colleague on Flight 103, the entire campus was in shock. The Office of Residence Life doubly so.” – Monica Sandler

“These wonderful souls were stolen from us too young and without the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Their memory inspires me frequently to always be my best and take nothing for granted. Their legacy lives on.” – Ailene Renzi

“Thinking about you Alex!” – John Caron

“Thinking of all the family members and their lost loved ones.” – Lisa Groton

“This event changed my life, I was there in London that semester. Thank you for making sure we never forget.” – Elizabeth St. Hilaire

“This remembrance is near and dear to my heart as I was a student on the flight coming back just the year before. I received calls directly when this occurred to see if I was on that flight. That could have been me so I will always remember!❤️🙏🏽” – Fawn Boone

“Today Sarah SB Philipps; I was humbled and honored to amplify her story and memory in 2010.” – Emily Walsh