Spectacular Duo Captures Dennis Edwards Scholarships

Alexa Edwards stood all alone on at the microphone on the stage in the same auditorium that her father, Dennis Edwards sat in dozens of times during while a student at Huntington High School. She spoke with a strong and articulate voice filled with emotion.

Ms. Edwards was just 2½ years old when the Dennis Edwards, a Huntington 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 especially enjoyed assisting those who needed it. 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 third annual Dennis M. Edwards Memorial Scholarships in the amount of $3,000 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. Not only did he love being asked to help, but he genuinely appreciated the act of helping. He lived a life in which he worked to leave each person better than he found them. This scholarship is awarded to two seniors in whom my family sees my dad’s legacy.”

Huntington Class of 2024 members Christian Chabla-Leon and Ella O’Heir are this year’s Dennis M. Edwards Memorial Scholarship recipients. They each received a $3,000 award stipend.

“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’ and are naturally driven to help those around them.

Mr. Chabla-Leon plans to study computer science at SUNY Old Westbury. Ms. O’Heir intends to study at Fairfield University.

Mr. Chabla-Leon is noted for his strong character, Ms. Edwards told the crowd. “Like my dad, he is described by his elders to be a role model for his peers. He is humble, kind and has a way of united others. His coach went so far to say, ‘There is no student or player that I have worked with in my 10 years that is as good of a person. I am not sure there ever will be either.’”

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

One of the most popular and hardest working members of the Class of 2024, Ms. O’Heir “always has a smile on her face, much like my father,” Ms. Edwards said. “Her positive and gracious spirit is contagious. Despite all that she has been through, she is always focused on helping and welcoming those around her. She is a people person, someone who leads with kindness and hospitality; two characteristics that were instilled in her by her mom.”

The scholarships were increased by $1,000 this year to a total of $6,000 in part due to the generosity of Catherine Burch, according to Ms. Edwards.