Why?
Tragedy struck my home town last week. Of course, I'm talking about the freeway bridge that crumbled during rush hour traffic. It happened last Wednesday around 6 p.m. and although I only live about two miles away, I was unaware of any calamity when I went for a quick 4 mile run an hour later. My next door neighbors saw me while I was waiting for a satellite reading on my Garmin and told me about it. It was a hot and humid night, and the news put a knot in my stomach.
My first thought was that I should go to the river and help with the recovery efforts. Not that I'm trained in emergencies; I just thought maybe they could use some extra hands. However, I had a plane to catch early the next morning, I still wasn't packed, and I needed to get my training run in. Instead I said a quick prayer for the victims and their families and continued with my plans. I probably would have just been in the way by that time anyhow. I had no idea of the magnitude of the situation.
Although I didn't have the TV on, everyone else did and I got several phone calls from concerned out-of-state family and friends. Since I left the very next morning, I'm not sure if anyone I know was affected. I have some former co-workers who use that bridge to go home, but I haven't contacted them yet to see if they're OK. I'm afraid to.
I've been in California with my husband and we've been staying at our new house. Although we have power, we have no internet connection yet and no television. All I know is what I heard on the radio and read in the occasional newspaper. I arrived home today at around 6 pm, and drove straight to the bridge. I had to see it for myself! I don't know why. As you know, I run in that area. In fact, my friend Marcia and I ran under that bridge just ten days before it fell. Had the timing been different, you'd be reading a different blog right now.
Anyway, I drove straight to the Guthrie from the airport so that I could see the damage from what's called the Endless Bridge, which is four stories above the river and part of the new Guthrie building. I've taken pictures there before. I was reading a newspaper article where the author likened it to the Twin Towers and when I read it, I thought that was over doing it. But as I saw the twisted metal in the middle of the river, it did remind me of the twisted rebar that I saw at Ground Zero in December 2001. I looked out and shed silent tears.
People were congregating on the Stone Arch bridge and someone had hung a flag over the side. There was also a sign; I couldn't read it all, but it said something like, "Love can build a bridge." I had left my camera in the car, but since other people were taking pictures, I went back for it. I waited until the plays began, so that it was less crowded. Someone told me that tomorrow they are going to remove the debris from the water and expect to find the eight missing people. Those poor souls.
Just inside the door of the Endless Bridge is a cocktail bar. The regular bartender there is Dean and I've spoken to him before. He told me about the Gold Medal park that I mentioned in a previous post. His station looks out to the water and is just west of the freeway bridge. At one time I would have considered it an enviable location to work. I asked him how he was doing, since it must have been traumatic for him. He said he didn't see the bridge fall, that he had just finished making a drink for a patron. When he looked over his shoulder, he said, "That's the wrong bridge." A man asked him what he was talking about. Just east of the 35W bridge is the 10th Street bridge, which
A loss affects the whole community, not just the people immediately involved. Dean the bartender was an emergency technician for 18 years, so he's experienced with handling trauma. Yet he said Thursday night he just felt an enormous sadness, and he has a hard time looking out the window now.
I feel sad too; not for the loss of a bridge, but for the lives lost and traumatized. Bridges aren't supposed to fall. We trust our government to ensure the safety of public conveyances, whether it's to carry us across a river or up in the skies. I guess I have an inkling of what the citizens of New Orleans must have felt when the levees broke. Anger and a sense of betrayal. I want to know, "Why".
posted by Dori @ 7:10 PM
14 Comments:
Dori, it's not going to fully hit me until I go home in 2 weeks. I am just thankful everyone's safe.
You put it into words that I haven't been able to find, thank you.
Being from Minneapolis I felt this as well - but I'm sure not on anywhere near the level if I were still living them. I'll be visiting home soon and it will be interesting to say the least. Your words were very elegant and touching.
I am glad that you and your family are fine. I am saddened that this has happened
It is just an unreal site. I haven't been by the Guthrie yet for viewing, but drove over University the other night and seeing it from there, it's just unreal. And yeah, it's not quite like 9/11 and the towers coming down, but it's similar. Minneapolis has been called the Mini Apple, this is our mini 9/11 and you're right things like this should not happen, it's not right and it better be a wake up call to keep it from happening again.
I know what you mean. It is just such a shock to think something like this can happen at home.
so horrible. sorry it had to hit your hometown...apparently our bridges are not in such great shape nationwide. why does it always take a tragedy to wake us up?
It's a tragedy and a great loss. I think my sister drove me over that bridge when she brought me to the start of the TCM in 2004. No one expects to be on a bridge one moment and in the water four seconds later w/o something incredible happening lto cause it iike a plane hitting it or something. The security camera video of it just going down was horrible. I am glad you (and my sister) are ok.
Well said, Dorine! God bless all those adversely affected!
Dori,
It's just horrible. Of course, there is a frenzy of bridge examination going on now and they have found several bridges in our county that are in poor shape - one with the same design as the one that fell. We should know better since this is the site of the infamous "Galloping Gertie".
So tragic, so sad.
Peace.
Oh Thanks for writing!!
End of day three of chain saws and piling branches and logs. What an incredible mess! We are getting our cross training.
But oh what blessing: nobody here hurt and no damage to the house.
Yikes. This is aweful
I'm glad you and your loved ones are safe.
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