Lehigh has erected a memorial garden to honour its fallen workers at its Permanente Quarry, near Cupertino. A plaque depicting the faces of the three men is affixed to a limestone boulder pulled from the quarry where they worked.
Since many employees arrive and work in darkness, a light shines on the boulder and the garden after dark. It acts as a subtle reminder of lost friends on a day of tragedy and terror a year ago.
On 5 October, 2011, the three quarry employees – Mark Mu?oz, John Vallejos and Manuel Pi?on – were shot and killed by Shareef Allman, a disgruntled fellow employee who went on a shooting rampage that also wounded six others.
Last year’s day of violence began when Allman entered a routine morning meeting and opened fire on his colleagues with a rifle and handgun. After he fled, he wounded a seventh person in an attempted carjacking before he was gunned down in a police manhunt.
Now, the memorial garden, located just beyond the main gate and along the route taken by cement trucks, will mark the tragic event. Most employees pass the memorial on their way to work. It is not open to the public.
Three deciduous trees were planted to change with the seasons, in contrast to the nearby evergreens. The changing seasons, in a way, symbolise that the men will always be with the Lehigh family.
A smaller boulder with a round plaque has a logo honouring the three men with their initials. The logo has been used as a sticker affixed to company hard hats.
Source: San Hose Mercury News