Eight people were killed in the fatal accident. I've never written this long of a review but I had to get this off my chest. This sounds like what might have happened to Diane Schuler. In keeping the promise that I made to my father, I hope this book can in some way speak for my brother, Guy, and my father. A case of deceipt, lies, and denials. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig).. This made me instantly suspect that there were marital troubles. Someone had to know, but that someone chose to say nothing, and now all these people are dead.. I agree with other readers that there was a lot of venom in this writing. "All of us are very, very sad for the loss of the little girls, and our hearts go out to the family," she said. Because we have never known Diane to be anything but a responsible and caring mother and aunt, this toxicology report raises more questions than it provides answers for the accident., Jackies mom, Phyllis Spagnuolo, told The Post, The Hance family had no idea of what went on on the other side of the family. I found this book when I finished Jackie Hance's book about the tragedy. Additional reporting by Amber Sutherland, Rebecca Rosenberg, Kieran Crowley, Perry Chiaramonte and Larry Celona. Certainly not to drive straight, wrong side of the road or not. I would just be a zombie!! There are no volunteers for this cemetery. I read the other book "I'll See You Again" that focuses on the Hance family and I watched the HBO documentary. The whole affair just wreaks of selfish parenting, lies, substance abuse, dirty money, cover ups and vitriol. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. Schuler, a manager in Cablevisions accounting department, would suck down screwdrivers at a Long Island saloon, where she was a regular the past few years and usually came by herself, her pal said, adding: I wouldnt say she was an alcoholic, but she liked her drinks. "People have an idea in their heads that in order for someone to engage in bizarre behavior or take a risk or harm people, or attempt suicide, or, God forbid, even what's going on in Norway, it means they are weird or strange, and people distance themselves.". There is no greater pain than having lost my father and brother from the senseless act of a drunk driver. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Schuler's son, Bryan, who suffered a severe head injury that left him with ocular nerve palsy, has said he has no memory of the accident. Garbus attempts to piece together the psychological puzzle of Schuler's state of mind before the 2009 accident, one of the worst in state history. "That is not consistent with who Diane was," Bursztajn said. "People said she seemed so normal," Bernstein said. I could swear it was mentioned in the documentary somewhere that Diane Schuler had an Rx for Ambien bc she had trouble sleeping. Trip: Daniel described as 'excellent' weekend. Please enter your email and password to sign in. It could have been any family that day, but it was my husband's and this is his story. There is a problem with your email/password. The Hance girls attended elementary school in the Floral Park-Bellerose School District, said school superintendent Lynn Pombonyo. . If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Box 20795 Floral Park, NY 11002 or at www.hancefamilyfoundation.org. Amidst all the uncertainties of how and why this accident occurred, this is the absolutely last thing that we ever would have expected, the Hances said in a statement. This book deals with the Bastardi family. Several drivers flashed their lights and honked to get Schuler's attention. "Diane could not forgive her mother or herself," he said. "People always ask how I feel about Diane," Hance told the magazine. Jackie Hance, sister-in-law of Diane Schuler, is shown in photo with two of her three daughters who were killed in crash Sunday when Schuler entered Taconic Parkway and drove the wrong way. People who knew Schuler said she was a stable, devoted and trustworthy mother, not someone who would put others, especially her children, at risk. Daniel Schulers lawyer insisted to Fox 5 that his clients wife had not been a heavy drinker or drug user and that their were no problems in the marriage. But who knows what really happens behind closed doors?. My love for my father and brother, Guy, will continue to be as strong as it has been my entire life. How does a person go from being like a sister to me -- adored by my girls and cherished by my husband -- to being the one who ruined our lives? Diane Schuler was a 36-year-old Long Island woman who tragically killed herself and seven others in a fiery wrong-way car crash on the Taconic State Parkway in New York in 2009. . You need a Find a Grave account to continue. #dianeschuler #somethingiswrongwithauntdiane Diane Schuler left a family campground with her daughter, son, and two nieces to head home. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Schuler was canonized by her family, who challenged the autopsy results, and vilified by those who called her a reckless drunk and even a "scumbag.". Third, most husbands would help their wives out when they have a huge vanload of kids to return to their homes after camping. But owner Ann Scott insisted that such revelers are immediately thrown off the premises. It's too bad no one has written a detailed account of this accident which to this day remains somewhat of a mystery as to how and why it happened. said "People suffer in silence.". Resend Activation Email. Being from the UK I only recently heard about the tragedy that this book is written about. You don't keep suing peopleIf she was alive today, Diane would likely be in jail.". Daniel Schuler has maintained a round-the-clock vigil at Bryans bedside since the crash. The film, which will air every Monday night until Aug. 15., portrays the 36-year-old "super mom" as a control freak haunted by a dark past: Her mother abandoned Schuler when she was 9. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Schuler, her daughter and three nieces, and the three passengers in the oncoming SUV were killed. This account has been disabled. No one appears to grieve for his baby daughter who was also killed. Life Story Memory Board Duane H. Schuler Try again later. The whole 4 hour torture ride goes on and Diane is supposedly sick. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? You really get a sense of the family's grief, particularly the son who lost his father and brother. It could have been any family that day, but it was my husband's and this is, actually produce conflicting documentation. GREAT NEWS! Not someone who was bad. Minutes before the deadly crash, Hance's 8-year-old daughter, Emma, had called her mother to say, "Something's wrong with Aunt Diane.". A 1.75-liter bottle of Absolut was found in Schulers wrecked Ford Windstar after the fiery July 26 smash-up, which killed her, her 2-year-old daughter, her three young nieces and three Yonkers men in the SUV she hit. Schuler entered the wrong side of the Taconic Parkway, then drove at 70 mph for nearly two miles. "When people feel burdened and depressed and hopeless," she said, "it's not shameful to reach out and get help. This condition would account Diane's apparent lack of prior alcoholic behaviors. for more information visit taconictragedy.us. The unsettling story of a weekend camping trip gone awry and the drunk and high "wrong way mom" who drove four children to their deaths, also killing her and three others. I would recommend it though because some of the smaller details in Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! I bought this book to see the Bastardi family's side of things. Her aunt is the only person who even mentions her. I should say at the outset that this book is not a slick, polished piece of prose. The purse: In the documentary pause it at the photo of the Vodka bottle. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. However justice died with Diane. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Her five-year-old son Brian survived and is hospitalized. And investigators were not advised by Barbara when Schuler would be made available for an interview. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. "Daniel Schuler, whose wife, Diane Schuler, killed herself and seven others in a wrong-way crash on the Taconic State Parkway is suing the state and his brother-in-law, whose three daughters were victims. That makes it even more tragic.. Ladies Home JournalA page from the . But no no, Diane doesn't drink and no one will even discuss the pot. "I just wanted one of us to be with the girls, and I didn't care who was there, me or him, if I had to kill him, or if he had to kill me, I just wanted one of us to be there," she said. Theres no way my husband would abandon me in order to go fishing or go home to conclude a family camping trip. Two hours later, Schuler plowed into an oncoming SUV, killing herself, her daughter, her brother's three little girls - and three others in the other vehicle. She drove south in the left lane for 1.7 miles before smashing into the Chevy Trailblazer driven by Guy Bastardi, 49. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Duane H. Schuler St. Nazianz - Duane H. Schuler, age 67, a St. Nazianz resident, passed away on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at Holy Family Medical. Schuler had entered the highway on an exit rampway and drove two miles in the wrong lane. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. I read the other book "I'll See You Again" that focuses on the Hance family and I watched the HBO documentary. Witnesses said her van weaved in and out of lanes traveling down the New York State Thruway and the cries of children were heard in the car in a telephone call to her brother along the way. The HBO documentary There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane attempted to give us insight as to what motivated Diane Schuler's unthinkable actions on July 26th 2009. "Someone may be struggling and not feel they can tell the people they love until they are pushed to the point," Bernstein. I understand the Bastardi family was devastated but some of their behaviour was unseemly as well. I looked at the title and wondered if the Bastardi family were able to find answers not in Jackie's book. State police who went to Mr. Schuler's home for a pre-arranged interview yesterday were rebuffed. As panicked motorists swerved out of her way, she continued for almost two miles. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2013. She takes Ambien and Vicodin. Schuler worked for Cablevision as director of credit and collections; the company put out a memo to employees on Monday mourning her loss. Second, her husband had two different versions of where he was going that day: fishing and back home to Long Island. Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2013. Try again. The Long Island mother who drove bombed out of her mind with a minivan full of kidstriggering a head-on collision that killed 8routinely bellied up to the bar and griped about her failing marriage and stressful job, a drinking buddy told The Post. I don't really think the Hance's did anything wrong, but because they were not forthcoming with the police and what they knew about Dianne, it seemed like they were trying to hide something. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Diane E. Hance Schuler I found on Findagrave.com. Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2016. Because we have never known Diane to be anything but a responsible and caring mother and aunt, this toxicology report raises more questions than it provides answers for the accident., Jackies mom, Phyllis Spagnuolo, told The Post, The Hance family had no idea of what went on on the other side of the family. In an interview scheduled to air Friday, the mother of three girls who were killed in a fatal New York wrong-way crash in 2009, tells NBC . Bursztajn, a clinical psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School who was interviewed for the film, said when trauma doesn't heal, it can have catastrophic consequences. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. "The problem is, it doesn't work for very long," Bursztajn said. Eventually, she slammed head-on into another vehicle, killing Guy Bastardi, 43, his father Michael Bastardi, 81, and a family friend, Daniel Longo, 72. Does that make one way better or more right than the other? The minivan plunged downhill and burst into flames as the SUV was pushed across two lanes and struck by another SUV. Diane Schuler, 36who died in the wrong-way crash on the Taconic Parkwayrecently seemed under pressure, like work and family were getting to her, said the pal, Sheila, who asked that her last name be withheld. "Joan Schuler said that the deceased smoked marijuana virtually every single day of her life," said Irving Anolik, a lawyer for the family of Michael Bastardi and his son Guy, both of whom died when Diane Schuler . Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Please try again later. Those closest to her say she hid the pain of her mother's abandonment. Police said at least six separate witnesses called 911 to report a van driving the wrong way. I believe she drank and smoked pot with her husband on weekends and camping trips. The Bastardi family comes off looking pretty callous in their opinions of Jackie. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The Diane Schuler Case. During that call, Hance spoke with one of his daughters, but he never indicated to us that she told him Schuler had been drinking or smoking, Chiumento said. Schuler's neighbor and friend, Lisa Acosta, 42, said the family likes the outdoors and went camping almost every weekend in upstate Monticello. It even offers a theory as to why in the aftermath of the crash despite there being three families claiming to want the truth, in the end only the Bastardis actually meant what they said. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations in Eileens name to The Hance Family Foundation P.O. Add to your scrapbook. I was curious to learn the story of the other victims in this senseless and mostly unexplained "accident" on a beautiful New York summer Sunday afternoon. "After the fact, we can see the breakdown patients suffer when they feel they have to be great, otherwise they are no good. "Little Brian is doing good," said a family friend, who asked not to be named. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Absolutely not with Pot on board. Drag images here or select from your computer for Diane E. Hance Schuler memorial. An eye opener for all. Written after viewing the notes her husband Michael was keeping, the book is based on his story detailing the drunken driving accident that drew worldwide attention. Hes suicidal, Dominic Barbara said of Schuler. Her marriage seemed a bit rocky, and I think she felt trapped by it, the friend said of Schulers relationship with her husband, Daniel, a Nassau County public-safety officer. So too is Hance, 41, and his wife, Jackie, 38, who lost their three daughters in the crash: Emma, 9, Alison, 7, and Kate, 5. I disagree and found the book reveals the helplessness that her family feel at losing loved ones at the hand of a proven drunk and drugged driver, and their pain at not being able to get the answers they deserve. "You can't imagine how complex that question is. LOVING WIFE AND MOTHER DIANE E NOV 13, 1972 - JULY 26, 2009 DADDYS LITTLE GIRL BEAUTIFUL BABY SISTER . And yet look what happened. But was that true? There was a problem loading your book clubs. A caller to WABC/Channel 7 said the campground at Hunters Lakewhere Schuler and her family regularly stayedis a known boozing area, where wild parties are the norm. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Select a location to see product availability. Every theory has a credible source. . I know this family wants justice. Even if we did know it wouldn't bring any of the victims back but for the Bastardis at least the not knowing is a terrible affliction. While many people questioned why the Bastardi's felt so much anger towards the other victims, the Hance's, after reading the book I understand why. I think she took one the last night of the camping trip, or maybe had been taking them, and the Ambien caused the confused fugue state she ended up in which could be the reason she drank from the vodka bottle. . Diane Schuler, 36, was a dedicated wife to her husband, Danny, and a devoted mother to her children, Bryan and Erin. The writing is very basic but gets the point across. I highly recommend reading if you're interested in this case, it gives some amazing insight into the effects the accident had on the surviving family members. cemeteries found in Westbury, Nassau County, New York, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Amidst all the uncertainties of how and why this accident occurred, this is the absolutely last thing that we ever would have expected, the Hances said in a statement. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Immediately after the accident, people involved begin to act very oddly. ", It was Schuler herself who had appeared to have super-human powers. July 13, 2011 12:40 pm. I would posit that's what she mixed her Absolut Vodka with that was found in the van rubble. Diane killed eight people that day including herself, her two-year-old daughter and her three nieces, all under the age of ten. Diane's husband lied to her and said he was going to the camper a day early but it was discovered that he did not. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. "We are all coming together in faith," said the Rev. ). Jackie Hance, Diane Schuler's sister-in-law and the mother of three of the children killed in the accident, published the novel "I'll See You Again" in 2013. They also jump to many conclusions that can't be proved as long as Daniel Schuler keeps lying and changing his story. August 6, 2009 6:36am. Scott also said Schuler appeared sober the morning she drove away with the kids and was not known to have boozed at the site. In the end it changes nothing. "She was very good at her job, and she was a take-charge person, too.". According to Barbara, Diane Schuler suffered from diabetes although additional sources cite Schuler as having had gestational diabetes, a temporary condition related to a prior pregnancy, rather than a chronic condition. Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. "It looks like he's going to make it.". Friends said she smoked marijuana at night to help her sleep but that Schuler showed no signs of alcoholism. At 9:30am on July 26, 2009, Diane Schuler loaded up her two children (ages five and two) along with her brother's, Warren Hance, three daughters (ages eight, seven, and five) into her brother's red 2003 Ford Windstar and left the Hunter Lake Campground to start the journey to West Babylon, New York. A private investigator hired by Diane's widower said he could find no relative who had ever observed Diane drinking . A 1.75-liter bottle of Absolut was found in Schuler's wrecked Ford Windstar after the fiery July 26 smash-up, which killed her, her 2-year-old daughter, her three young nieces and three Yonkers men in the SUV she hit. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Eileen leaves behind three sons, Warren, John and David; two brothers, Joseph and Michael; her sister, Kathleen Doerrie; and grandchildren, Byran Schuler, and Melanie, Kasey, and Willa Hance. For the last couple of months, she didnt appear to be a happy woman.. [LA replies: They did have two cars up there, and apparently his additional fishing trip was already planned. He died, along with his father, Michael Bastardi, 81, and friend Daniel Longo, 74, all of Yonkers. Schuler herself was killed, along . Although her three brothers reconciled with their mother, Schuler refused, according to her husband. Were they drinking and doing drugs? News of Schulers alcohol and drug abuse is a crushing blow, said her family, including her brother, Warren Hance, and his wife, Jackie, whose three young daughters died in the crash. July 26, 2011 -- Two years after the horrific Taconic State Parkway crash, the husband of Diane Schuler is suing New York State and the father of three nieces who were killed when the Long Island . Verify and try again. The birth of Kasey Rose came after Jackie had been pushed to the brink of taking her own life due to the grief from the loss of their daughters, Emma, 8; Alyson . I have three daughters of my own, and if they all died at once in a wreck, I don't think I could even communicate with anyone about anything. But when Diane was a child, her mother Eileen left the family. Drunkenness was evident: a blood alcohol content of 0.19 with 6 grams . Five young children were in the car as well: her son, her daughter and three nieces. Learn more about merges. These kids are in the valley of heaven.". Bruno Dekrem. One story I read said that they had been going to this campground every summer weekend for the last three years, so the trip back home, while not short, was routine. We need to find out what her husband, brother, and other family members know, he added. Now today I found this more detailed information in the New York Post: Why is this curiously detailed point being stated in this article? The Long Island mother who drove bombed out of her mind with a minivan full of kids triggering a head-on collision that killed 8 routinely bellied up . What went wrong with Aunt Diane? Jeanne Bastardi has written a sensitive account of the death of her father in law, brother in law and six other people in a sickening car crash on the Taconic Parkway, NY state, in 2009. Diane Schuler was drunk claims sources to New York press today. Jeanne Bastardi has written "The Taconic Tragedy A Son's Search for the Truth" based on the actual seven person homicide that took the lives of her husband's Father, Brother, and Friend. Some of the other reviews suggest that the anger that Jeanne Bastardi documents is unwarranted. Also on Thursday, State Police investigators also went to Long Island for a pre-arranged interview with the Hance family and their representatives. Jeanne Bastardi has written "The Taconic Tragedy A Son's Search for the Truth" based on the actual seven person homicide that took the lives of her husband's Father, Brother, and dearFriend. The Long Island mother who drove bombed out of her mind with a minivan full of kids triggering a head-on collision that killed 8 routinely bellied up to the bar and griped about her failing marriage and stressful job, a drinking buddy told The Post. Diane was a type A control freak who had to have things her way and had a hard time relaxing. I bought this in order to fill in some gaps in the story of this tragedy and the book does do that. Friends and family tell filmmaker Filmmaker Liz Garbus that in every aspect of her life, Diane Schuler strived for perfectionism. Oops, something didn't work. She left the campground on that day with all five children in the Ford Windstar owned by her brother. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. It was a profound catastrophe.". Warren Hance told his sister, Diane Schuler, to pull over and wait for him to pick them up. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. "We are awaiting autopsy reports and toxicology reports.".