“It changed my life entirely;” Families who lost loved ones prepare for The Who’s return

CINCINNATI — The Who are back in Cincinnati for the first time since 11 people were killed trying to get into the concert in 1979.

Many people have been waiting years for the band to return to Cincinnati, but now that the show is finally here it is sure to be an emotional weekend for the families who lost loved ones.

“It’s going to be a very emotional time to see a concert my mom and dad are supposed to see,” Kasey Ladd told our news partners at WCPO-TV.

Ladd’s mother Teva Rae Ladd was one of the 11 killed trying to see the 1979 concert.

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“It changed my life entirely. I was two years old and grew up without a mother,” Ladd said.

When Ladd was growing up he said his father didn’t talk much about the night of the concert.

“I lost a part of my dad too,” he said.

He said his family has started to talk about that night more, and it has helped them start to heal.

There is one more thing Ladd said needs to be done to honor his mother.

“To go see this concert she should’ve seen,” Ladd said.

Ladd and his family will be at the show on Sunday.

“This is a historic event for Cincinnati. When you think about what happened in 1979, that was yesterday. That was a long time ago that was Cincinnati of the past,” Jeff Berding, chief executive officer of FC Cincinnati said.

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“To a certain degree, The Who will bookend Cincinnati’s history,” Berding said.

Both Berding and Ladd said they hope the concert will help bring closure to the tragedy.

“I’m glad because I feel like it’s the healing process coming full circle for all those that were directly affected by Dec. 3, 1979,” Ladd said.

Berding said he also hopes this will help the band heal as well.

“Hopefully for The Who, the members, Roger and Pete, that they don’t have that any guilt,” Berding said. “And that the burden of what they’ve been carrying for these 40-plus years can be put to bed with what is this new experience in Cincinnati.”

The Who will play at the TQL Stadium, home of FC Cincinnati, on May 15.

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