Alive & Anxious: Frank Escapes, Amelia Waits

Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told

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Step into a time machine and find yourself on the misty banks of the Chicago River in 1915. The air is thick with anticipation as thousands of Western Electric employees and their families prepare for a day of fun. Little do they know, history is about to be made – not in triumph, but in tragedy.

Fast forward to 1976. One survivor and one daughter of a near-miss survivor-- their memories as clear as the day the Eastland capsized, sit before a microphone. Their voices, now preserved for eternity, paint a vivid picture of that fateful day.

Meet Frank Blaha, just 18 when disaster struck. Picture him, perched on the upper deck, oblivious to the doom that lurks beneath his feet. The ship lurches, and in a heartbeat, Frank's world turns upside down – literally. His tale of survival is a roller coaster of luck, quick thinking, and the cruel randomness of fate.

Then there's Amelia Kotas Stelton, whose father cheated death by mere minutes. Imagine the agonizing wait as her family clung to hope, not knowing if they were widowed or orphaned. Through Amelia's eyes, we see a community torn apart and stitched back together by tragedy.

But this isn't just about the disaster. It's about the ripples that spread through time:

• The eerie premonitions that saved lives
• Children, wide-eyed and curious, sneaking peeks at the aftermath

And just when you think the story ends in 1915, it leaps forward to today. As your guide through this time warp, I’m happy to share a startling twist: these long-forgotten voices are now reaching ears across approximately 42 countries. From Germany to Poland to Hong Kong and beyond, the people of the Eastland Disaster refuse to be silenced.

So, as you walk along your local river or board your next boat, remember Frank and Amelia. Their voices, once lost to time, now whisper a powerful message: every family has a story worth telling. What's yours?
LINKS:

• Documenting Social History: Chicago's Elderly Speak--Eastland Tragedy (16062) - Guerrilla Television (uchicago.edu)
• Documenting Social History: Chicago’s Elderly Speak–Eastland Tragedy

• Book website: https://www.flowerintheriver.com/
• LinkTree: @zettnatalie | Linktree
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-z-87092b15/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zettnatalie/
• YouTube: Flower in the River - A Family Tale Finally Told - YouTube
• Medium: Natalie Zett – Medium
• The opening/closing song is Twilight by 8opus
• Other music. Artlist

Capitole

1. Alive & Anxious: Frank Escapes, Amelia Waits (00:00:00)

2. Survivor Stories of Eastland Disaster (00:00:07)

3. Tragic Accounts of Eastland Disaster (00:16:13)

4. Remembering the Eastland Disaster Survivors (00:36:14)