Community Corner

Portraits of 9/11: Heather Toyen

Canton resident remembers sister, hopes people can rekindle the kindness showed in aftermath.

In the weeks following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed her sister Amy and nearly 3,000 others, Heather Toyen noticed a change in people.

“Ten years ago, everybody was just so much kinder to people they didn’t even know,” said Heather Toyen, a Canton resident.  

Some of that came in seemingly small ways — holding doors open, letting people go ahead of them in the grocery line, and showing kindness and patience on the roadway.

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While many friends and neighbors continue to support the Toyen family and pay tribute to Amy each September, Heather saw that general sense of kindness fade all too quickly.

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, she hopes people find it again.

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“That’s all gone by the wayside and I just hope that people are just kinder to each other,” Heather Toyen said. “Remember those that were lost and the service people that helped and who lost their lives and just be nicer, and kinder and gentler.”

The sentiment would likely make sense to Amy, whose sense of kindness went much deeper than her infectious smile.

Whether it was handing out Blow Pops to the boys track team at Avon High School, joining WNPR, painting a fireplace scene at Bentley College for roommates who longed for a place to hang their Christmas stockings, “rocking” for Avon Dollars for Scholars, welcoming new students to high school, participating in service projects at the Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation or standing up to bigotry on her college campus, Toyen was known for helping others.

That day Amy was in the city for a trade show, demonstrating software for Thomson Financial in Boston, when she became a victim to bigotry herself.

At the time she was readying for the next chapter of her life, preparing to marry her fiancée the following June.

The sisters’ last conversation the night before was about marriage and wedding dresses.

Amy's memory is captured in the bronze sculpture at Avon Free Public Library. Funded by the Avon High School 2001-2002 student government, Canton artist Marilyn Parkinson Thrall incorporated Amy’s love of books and teddy bears into the bronze sculpture of a 6-year-old Amy.

Many will leave flowers and cards at the statue this year, something for which the Toyens are grateful.

And as the 10-year anniversary of the event approaches, Heather also hopes people remember to put things in perspective and be thankful for those who do help others, including firefighters, Navy Seals and others who serve locally, nationally and internationally.

“Take a minute to remember and be thankful for those that are serving for us and helping us.”

 

Editor's Note: As Sept. 11 approaches, Patch will have more from an interview with the Toyen family. Respectful comments are welcome and if you have a story to share, please contact john.fitts@patch.com.


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