El Faro Salute! - memorial dedicated honoring ship's final crew

On September 24, nearly 1,000 people, including members of American Maritime Officers, gathered in Rockland, Maine to attend the presentation of a memorial dedicated to the mariners lost in the sinking of S/S El Faro in Hurricane Joaquin on October 1, 2015.

The sculpture is entitled: El Faro Salute!

El Faro sailed with a crew of 33, including 11 AMO members, 17 members of the Seafarers International Union and five Polish nationals comprising the riding gang - Michael C. Davidson, Richard J. Pusatere, Steven W. Shultz, Jeffrey A. Mathias, Danielle L. Randolph, Keith W. Griffin, Jeremie H. Riehm, Howard J. Schoenly, Michael L. Holland, Mitchell T. Kuflik, Dylan O. Meklin, Roan R. Lightfoot, Brookie L. Davis, Frank J. Hamm, Carey J. Hatch, Jack E. Jackson, Jackie R. Jones Jr., Sylvester C. Crawford Jr., Joe E. Hargrove, German A. Solar-Cortes, Anthony S. Thomas, Louis M. Champa, Roosevelt L. Clark, James P. Porter, Mariette Wright, Theodore E. Quammie, Lashawn L. Rivera, Lonnie S. Jordan, Piotr M. Krause, Marcin Nita, Jan Podgórski, Andrzej R. Truszkowski, Rafal A. Zdobych.

Several of the crew members were from the New England area, and five had graduated from Maine Maritime Academy.

The AMO National Vice President, Deep Sea, attended the dedication of the memorial and described the occasion as a somber but joyous celebration of the lives of those lost with El Faro.

"The artist and the guest speakers did an excellent job capturing the sacrifices made by those who make their living at sea," he said. "Retired AMO member Dave Weathers, who spent many months with the families after the tragedy, introduced me to several of the family members in attendance and I was able to hear how this incredible loss has shaped their lives. Sometimes those of us who go to sea forget the sacrifices of those who wait for our return."

The memorial was constructed by local artist Jay Sawyer, a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy who formerly sailed as a marine engineer. Sawyer told the local newspaper, the Courier-Gazette, he hopes the memorial will offer comfort to the families of those lost aboard El Faro. The artist also said he hopes it gives the public a greater appreciation of the sacrifices made by those who go to sea.

"On a clear day, you can see merchant ships far out beyond the breakwater, heading up to Searsport. They keep the world going," Sawyer said.