Every Thanksgiving is a painful reminder for Karen Perry. The mother of three lost her children on the eve of the holiday in 2011, when a small plane crashed into Superstition Mountain. Her children's father and two others were also killed.
“We all just have to give thanks for what we do have," said Perry. "And to remember to keep that in mind because, we don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow. None of us do.”
A statue honoring her children sits near the mountain, and several small plaques are located near the crash site at Flatiron, but Perry says others who've died on the mountain should be honored just the same.
She's working with a California-based sculptor to pay tribute to the many who've crashed and died on Superstition Mountain by building the "Ribbon of Life," a 75-foot long sculpture of a ribbon that also measures 15 feet long and 10 feet wide.
The bronze piece would act as a symbol of honor.
“I think people are going to be drawn to it and it’ll be something reflective of the lives that have been lost on the mountain," she said.
The piece will include fragments of the plane crash collected from the wreckage, as well as an engraved photo of her three children: Morgan, Logan and Luke.
The sculpture is being funded entirely on donations. Perry says she's been able to collect more than $14,000 for materials for the large project, that'll also go to the delivery and placement near the mountain, but still needs about $6,000 to finish it.
Those interesting in contributing can do so on Facebook, through GoFundMe, or at the Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85119 and donate to the "Wings" fund.
