Hope Bilkey & Dylan Hanna Win Dennis Edwards Scholarships

Alexa Edwards returned for the second year and stood on stage in the same auditorium that her father, Dennis Edwards sat in dozens of times during his time at Huntington High School. She was only 2½ years old when the Class of 1984 member was felled on the morning of September 11, 2001 while working as a partner with global bond giant Cantor Fitzgerald atop One World Trade Center in Manhattan.

Mr. Edwards was among the nearly 3,000 completely innocent Americans, including more than 400 uniformed firefighters and police officers who were killed when terrorists hijacked four planes on the morning of 9/11/01 and staged suicide attacks by flying them into the north and south World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in an open field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers tried to overwhelm the terrorists and prevent them from completing their attack on a destination believed to be either the US Capitol or the White House.

The Huntington grad was in the upper reaches of the north tower (One World Trade Center) when the hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the building’s north façade at about the 80th floor at 8:46 a.m. The attack killed 1,402 at or above the impact zone.

Known around town as “The Mayor,” Mr. Edwards married his high school sweetheart, Patti and the couple bought her parents’ home. Mr. Edwards renovated the structure himself, a testament to his ingenuity and determination.

The Huntington alum was a “people person” if ever there was one and he really enjoyed helping others. When terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in 1993, Mr. Edwards carried a pregnant woman down 80 flights of stairs and saved her life.

Alexa Edwards came to her father’s alma mater to present the second annual Dennis M. Edwards Memorial Scholarships in the amount of $2,500 for each of two awards. The scholarship was created by Mr. Edwards’ eldest sister, Sheila Edwards Doyle.

“Although I was just two-and-a-half [years old] when my dad passed away, I had the privilege of getting to know my dad through the people he loved,” Ms. Edwards told a crowd of about 300 at Huntington High School’s senior scholarships and awards ceremony. “Anyone who knew my dad will tell you that the only thing he loved more than life itself was his people. Lucky for me, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, my Aunt Sheila asked our family and friends to write letters to me about my dad. Countless people wrote about my dad being their ‘go-to.’ Person. He somehow connected with more people in his 35 years than most of us will in a lifetime. As a result, his absence is felt tremendously, but his legacy is immeasurable. This year, the scholarship is awarded to two seniors in whom my family sees my dad’s legacy.”

Huntington Class of 2023 members Hope Bilkey and Dylan Hanna captured this year’s scholarships. “The two seniors chosen, much like my dad, are people that others are proud to know,” Ms. Edwards said. “They both demonstrate a warmth and sincerity that is felt by each person they encounter. They exemplify what it means to be a ‘people person.’”

Ms. Bilkey plans to study at Roger Williams University for a career as an elementary school teacher. Mr. Hanna will be attending the University of Delaware.

Ms. Bilkey “carries an enthusiasm for life everywhere she goes,” Ms. Edwards said. “She, like my dad, is described by many as ‘happy go lucky.’ Where she is in class or on the field, she is lifting those around her. She is an integral part of each team she is on and someone her teammates are proud to be led by. With her big smile and compassionate demeanor, she is something that people naturally gravitate toward. She is looked up to and relied on by many of her peers. Her teachers describe her as ‘enormously respected and knowing just about everyone.’ To her, each stranger is just a friend she has not yet met. She embodies my dad in this way as he was referred to as the Mayor of Huntington. One of my dad’s friend’s wrote, ‘Life is all about luck . . . and a key piece of luck for me was meeting Dennis.’ I am confident that Hope Bilkey is someone that those around her feel lucky to know. May she carry her poise, charisma and relatability to Roger Williams and beyond.”

As Ms. Edwards spoke in a strong voice, it was difficult for the crowd of 300 to keep a dry eye. Through the scholarship presented in his honor, Mr. Edwards’ legacy continues to live on at his alma mater.

Mr. Hanna is “recognized for kindness and genuine nature,” Ms. Edwards said. “His kindness is evident through his desire to help those around him. Not only does he help those he knows, but he actively gives back to his community through the Huntington Fire Department. Despite hardships he may face, he is a light to those around him. Like my dad, he is recognized by his elders for greeting them each day with a smile on his face. He carries a contagious positivity and purpose in all that he does. Perhaps most importantly, Dylan is described as ‘conscientious and sensitive to those around him.’ His ability to remain in tune with those around him in today’s fast paced world sets him aside from his peers. This is something that was so important to my dad, because to him, life was all about his people. It is my family’s hope that Dylan Hanna continues to demonstrate his remarkable character at the University of Delaware.”