Tree of Life victim's widow says Duquesne Light cut down a tree her husband planted
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The woman whose husband was killed in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting is demanding answers after she said Duquesne Light cut down a tree he planted.
Miri Rabinowitz said Duquesne Light told her they wanted to cut down a tree on her property. She said she explained the sentimental meaning behind the tree, and the company agreed to not touch it. So imagine her shock when she looked outside late last week to find the tree no longer standing.
Miri Rabinowitz stands in her now barren garden, surrounded by logs, feeling like she's lost her husband all over again.
She's struggling to understand why a crew contracted by Duquesne Light came into her yard last week and cut down her beloved redbud tree that her late husband Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz planted.
"I grew up in Cincinnati on Redbud Avenue and about 25 years ago my husband, my late husband, surprised me with a redbud tree for my birthday and it was just a sweet and thoughtful gift, and I loved it, and now they're both gone," she said.
Her husband is one of the 11 worshippers killed inside the Tree of Life synagogue. And for her, that tree felt like a piece of him still remained.
"I just felt so violated and it was just another blow, and the tree service wasn't intentional to hurt me, but it hurt me, it made me so sad and angry. And it was another piece of Jerry that I lost unnecessarily," she said.
After her husband's untimely death, she hired a landscaping company to transform the space surrounding her redbud into a pollinator garden.
"I had been reading about pollinator gardens and thinking, this would be so wonderful for nature, for the birds, the bees, the butterflies but also after Jerry died my neighbors were so wonderful, so this was a little bit of a gift for my neighbors, so when they walk by they can enjoy the garden too," she said.
Rabinowitz says she understands her tree can never grow back, but she wants Duquesne Light to pay to replant what she calls her now trampled garden.
"I truly believe Duquesne Light did wrong by me and I think that as just a Duquesne Light customer calling up and complaining, I don't think it really would have gone far," she said.
KDKA-TV found a list of suggested shrubs and trees on Duquesne Light's website that they say won't interfere with powerlines. A redbud is on the list.
KDKA-TV reached out to Duquesne Light to ask what happened and they sent us this statement:
"Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is committed to providing the highest level of service to our customers. The removal of the redbud was due to an unfortunate miscommunication and DLC and its tree removal contractor are working directly with the customer to resolve the issue."
Rabinowitz said she's looking forward to it.
"In addition to owing me an apology, they really need to make the situation right," she said.
