A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Remembering the MN Bridge Collapse

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the bridge collapse here in Minnesota. The bridge is being rebuilt and is expected to be completed in September or October...much sooner than anticipated. There have been personal stories on the local news stations all week from survivors and from families of people that perished in the collapse. I watching the other night and one of the reporters said that all of us that live here will always remember where we were and what we were doing when it happened....just like 9/11. It is true. I will always remember where I was and what I was doing at that time.

Shirley called me that night because I hadn't been on the forum and she and others were worried about me. Thank you for caring!

We ALWAYS care about you, Jess! I would have called you myself if I had known how.

The bridge collapse was a terrible thing. I can't believe it has been a year already.

When something truly unthinkable such as that happens, the memory gets etched in everyone's heart for the rest of their lives, I think.


Merme

Thanks Merme!

Time sure goes fast! I can't believe it has been a year either.

Gosh I saw the topic name and thought the worst had happened yet again.

I'm so glad that you were safe Jess. I care about you greatly. I love all of our phone calls. What went from daily PM's back and forth is now just calls, and I love that.

I'm sure that none of you will ever forget that horrible day. I don't remember what I was doing personally, but I remember being glued to the TV watching all of the footage.......such a tragedy for all involved and all that live in that area.

I remember watching the news(CNN)when all of a sudden there was breaking news about a bridge collapse in Minnesota.

Thanks Loz!

I think that we, here in MN, will remember where we were because we are so close to it. It was a huge tragedy and victims are still trying to get their lives back together. I can't believe some of the medical bills they talk about and how hard it has made life for them.

I should probably change the name to remembering the bridge collapse so people don't think the worst like you did Loz!

I was outside doing stuff and walked into the house as it was coming on our local stations here. James was already watching and I said...oh no, where is that at?....it didn't cross my mind that it was here and James said....it is the 35W bridge and I said....no way!! I couldn't believe it! You hear about these things happening other places but don't think about it happening to us!

Made you think twice about going across bridges after that. Still does. We have a huge bridge to get to our shopping town we go to. It's probably close to a mile long. And it's old, and not in good shape. Every time we go over it I think about that.

Thankfully they are starting a new bridge.

Hopefully nothing like that EVER happens again. And you're right. That's the stuff that happens elsewhere and you just watch it on TV. Scary that it happened right near you.

Did you go over that bridge a lot?

NO< I cannot belive it has been a year either---I am so glad that you and yours are OK

I always think that is part of that "kicked in the head" feeling people get with a local tragedy, Jess. Bad things happen all over the place, but not here, in America, in my state, my town, my home. And when it does, WOW!

Human beings are so fragile.

Merme

I did not go over that bridge on a regular basis but have been on it a number of times. It is not something that I traveled over daily, weekly or even monthly like many people did but you still think of the what if's.

Now I would think twice about going over bridges whether they are old rusty and creaking or brand new because you never know when a certain bridge will collapse.They should inspect bridges more often.

You wouldn't believe the changes that have been made here with the transportation dept. because of this. They have inspected every bridge in this state since then and many have been shut done and are being repaired or replaced at this time!

Well thank God for that. At least some good thing came out of such a horrible event. Maybe many more lives have been saved with all of the rigorous inspections of all of the other bridges.