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Marsha Porter wasn't at the site of the collapse. She wasn't in her car, she wasn't on the I-35W bridge, and she didn't end up in the water.
But in some ways, Porter might know more about the bridge collapse than any second-hand observer. Porter, a licensed independent clinical social worker (or LICSW, in the vernacular of the field), volunteers for the Red Cross. The day after the disaster one year ago today, Porter and other volunteers began fielding calls—from people seeking their loved ones, from people who survived the collapse, from people who saw it on television and became distressed. They took 1,000 in three days.
35W bridge collapse: 'I would just listen to the survivors tell their stories'
Seeded on Fri Aug 1, 2008 7:40 PM EDT
Article Source: MinnPost- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (7)
"There's community trauma, and it's important to understand the whole thing, especially something hugely symbolic like the bridge," she said. "It's disorienting for people. It's your community and your route."
Today is the one year anniversary of the collapse.
- 2 votes
#1 - Fri Aug 1, 2008 7:44 PM EDTAnd my parent's 61st Anniversary. :-)
That's gotta be a tough gig, listening to and helping trauma victims. I so admire people with the grit to do that kind of work!
- 1 vote
Yeah Chris, that would be tough. It is also difficult for anyone who lives and works around the bridge. I went down there last weekend and walked across the Stone Arch bridge. They may get the new bridge completed in record time, but none of us will forget the old one.
I had planned an article today based on a co-workers experience. He had written an assignment for school on it and I planned to feature it on my column. But I couldn't connect with him. His wife went into labor with their first child that afternoon. He brought her to HCMC that night through all of the chaos. DJ was born in the early hours of August 2nd. Tomorrow I will attend his first birthday party. I may still post the article tomorrow.
So where were you when the bridge went down? I was at work less than a mile away. We could see the smoke from the burning truck.
- 1 vote
I was at work when I got an email from a friend in California with the Subject line: "ARE YOU OKAY??????"
I opened it and read, "Just saw news blip that a freeway bridge just collapsed in Minneapolis with people on foot, in cars and on bikes going into the river.? Please tell me you weren't on it!!!?"
That was a rather astonishing email, so I went to WCCO.com to see what was up, and .... WOW!
I live and work on the East Side, so it didn't affect me or anyone I know directly, but .... WOW!
I can truly appreciate the feelings of people who were touched directly or closely. Even though I wasn't affected directly by 911, it put me in a very, very odd, kinda of depressive, place for about a year afterwards. I can well imagine that a direct connection would have a profound effect on someone.
- 1 vote
It was all very surreal. My family was very fortunate as my brother and nephew live Northeast and would cross the bridge daily at about that time. but it was my brother's day off and my nephew had taken the 10th Ave bridge that day because of the construction on the 35W bridge.
Last year I wrote this: Random thoughts on the Mississippi river and other bridges
It took me several days to focus my thoughts. I read everything I could trying to make sense of it, an impossible task.
- 1 vote
azsky13,
Thank you so much for the link to your story from last year. It was a well written article and you should be very proud of it. It was a tragic day for many people and it is good for all of us to take a moment and stop to think about this event and the people that it so profoundly affected. Your story shows how it affected you and you were not even on the bridge. I was at home, watching TV (as usual) and as it came across the TV my thoughts immediately were of my son, and the fact that his lawn service work took him over that bridge many times during the week. I called him and found him safe at home and after hanging up I remember thinking about how lucky I was and how UNLUCKY someone else would be. Brings back very strong emotions for me, as it must you. Thanks again.
#2 - Fri Aug 1, 2008 10:48 PM EDTThank you, I think a lot of people had very strong emotions. I couldn't tell you how many times I drove over that bridge. A lot of people around here were saying what if...
But in both our cases, we were very lucky!
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