Tessa Franzese has been involved with special needs children her whole life.

‘I live 20 minutes away from a deaf community,’ she said. ‘My mom works with special needs children and I have been surrounded by the community my whole life.’

This is what brought on Franzese’s choice to represent Anne Lindsey Otenasek, a junior at Western Maryland College, who was studying through Syracuse University’s DIPA program when she was killed in the Pan Am Flight 103 crash.

‘Anne wanted to work with special needs children, primarily the deaf community,’ said Franzese. ‘This is what brought us together.’

When Franzese traveled to Bird Library to sift through archives of the Syracuse University students who were killed in the attack, she said it was overwhelming.

‘It was mind-boggling,’ she said. ‘Pan Am 103 is an abstract concept to most of the Syracuse community, but going through the archives made it personal. I found it impossible to not connect to Anne. I am honored that I get to keep her memory alive.’