Old Man Crushed To Death While Adorning A Gravestone For Easter

Easter Sunday was mournful for Lucy Woytack after losing her husband, Stephen, who was crushed to death on Monday, March 30, when a gravestone toppled on him without caution. The accident happened when the 74-year-old husband was kneeling next to his mother-in-law’s gravestone at St Joseph Cemetery in Throop, Pennsylvania. He was supposed to embellish it with a cross for Easter.

It has been an Easter tradition for the couple to visit the graveyard. Each year, they clean up and adorn the grave marker. Then they stand before the gravestone, say their prayers and leave, Ed Kubilus, caretaker for the cemetery, told WNEP. This year’s visit will be Woytack’s last.

“Usually, I come down and talk to them right away, but I went up the other end to start picking up the Christmas ornaments and she came running up, ‘Help me, the stone fell on Stephen!,’” lamented Kubilus, who also said he immediately called the police before rushing to the scene.

He disclosed further that every spring when the surface warms up, several bases of the monuments slant, causing them to move. According to him, he went to the cemetery and witnessed six gravestones fell from winter. Reuters reported Kubilus removed half of the stone — a granite block — from Woytack, who did not look too good.

Kubilus was assisted in lifting off the remaining of the stone — which measured 4-foot by 4-foot— when Throop police officer Andy Kerecman came. But by then, it was already too late for Woytack. The police officer narrated to New York Daily News that the stone landed across Woytack’s waist, pinning him. He added that before Lucy ran for help, she attempted to remove the stone herself.

Stephen was described by his wife to be kind, loving and unhesitant in helping others. He was also active in their church. Woystack was a Eucharistic minister at Scranton’s Mary, Mother of God Parish, which is affiliated with St Joseph cemetery. Beginning next year, Lucy will have to visit two gravestones as her husband was buried in a spot fronting the gravestone that crushed him.

For comments or feedback on the article, please contact the writer at selivak@ibtimes.com.au.