For one afternoon, Rustic Ridge kids put horrific explosion out of their minds

Rob Amen, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
Updated ·3 min read

Aug. 15—The corner lot of 154 Rustic Ridge Drive in Plum on Tuesday turned into a therapeutic group session for dozens of kids in the neighborhood — even if they didn't know it.

At least two dozen kids of all ages, from toddler to teen, gathered in the driveway and backyard to just be a kid again on a beautiful summer day. They laughed. They drew pictures. They made bracelets. They played on a swing set.

For just a while, it seemed, they forgot about the chaos enveloping their Rustic Ridge neighborhood, forgot the death and destruction left in the wake of a fatal explosion that leveled a neighbor's home, destroyed two others and left about a dozen damaged. In all, five neighbors died and three were injured, one still in critical condition.

Among the dead is Keegan Clontz, who was just 12 years old and was friends with kids in the neighborhood.

The scene that unfolded Tuesday in her yard was what Lori Altrudo had hoped for but realistically did not expect, at least not this number of kids.

"This is what we do for a living," said Altrudo, a mom to twins Sophia and Vincenzo, 10, and Angelina, 11. "I'm just usually on the other end."

Altrudo works at the University of Pittsburgh's MAPS program, which stands for Maximizing All Potentials. She mentioned to her manager, Dana Heisel, about hosting a get-together at her house where she and her co-workers would give kids an avenue to escape and parents the resources they might need to talk about the situation.

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"We just immediately rallied around Lori," Heisel said. "We felt like we wanted to be here and help as well."

Although counselors were made available Monday and Tuesday at Plum High School, Altrudo thought it would benefit kids in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood to have the resources — and an outlet — available in their own backyard.

Michele Spudich and Kelly Sachse, both mothers of two girls, stopped by for a bit.

Spudich said her family returned home to stay overnight Monday, the first time since the explosion. They had stayed with her in-laws.

"We wanted to feel normal again," she said. "Now I don't know what normal is."

"It will be a while," Sachse said.

Both praised the opportunity Altrudo and her co-workers afforded the kids.

"As simple as markers, paper and bracelets and chalk," Sachse said.

Altrudo said it's going to take time and talking to get through the tragedy.

"One day at a time," she said.

As she spoke, kids approached a cooler to her left. One was wearing a bracelet with the letters LLK.

"Long live Keegan," the one child said before running off.

Rob Amen is a Tribune-Review managing editor. You can contact Rob by email at ramen@triblive.com or via Twitter .