By Kaitlyn Foti
Staff Writer

Wednesday marked the second month that Cheltenham High School alumni Joshua Fattal has been held in Iran. To commemorate the anniversary, friends, family and community members gathered at a candlelight vigil at Curtis Arboretum.

The vigil, held 8 p.m., Sept. 30, was outside of Curtis Hall in Wyncote. Joey Boxman, a longtime friend of Fattal and one of the organizers of the event, said that between 100 and 500 people attended.

“We want to just show our support for the families, specifically in our area, for Josh’s family. We grew up around him; he is a friend of the neighborhood. We wanted to show support. It was suggested we do a vigil and show our support in a public way,” Boxman said.

Fattal, an Elkins Park native and a graduate of Cheltenham High School, Class of 2000, is among three Americans being held in Iran since late July after wandering across the border from the Kurdish region of Iraq.

Fattal was hiking in Iraq with two friends, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd, when they accidentally crossed the border into Iran, where they have been held ever since.

“I’ve been planning the vigil for about two weeks now, with the hopes that would turn more into a welcome home celebration. We’ve been planning it for the two-month mark that they have been gone and without contact to their family,” Boxman said.

Getting the word out through Facebook, phone calls and word of mouth, friends and family spoke at the vigil about Fattal.

Boxman said the community has stepped in to help show support for the event, because even in his absence, Fattal is missed and loved in Cheltenham.

“He’s really one of the nicest, happy and friendly people in the world. He has a very happy outlook on life and on people in general. Really, he’s someone you could go to talk to. He’s a really good friend. He’s a pretty special person, actually,” Boxman said.

According to Boxman, the family has not received news of any developments that could lead to an impending homecoming. In the meantime, his family and the community Fattal grew up in is holding on to hope, and doing everything they can to show their support.

“The way things have been with us growing up together, we’re all friends of the area. It was a community raising each of us. No matter how far away we go, the community is still there,” Boxman said.