35W Bridge

Posted by Kevin......

First, let me start by saying Stace and I are fine. We were obviously no where near that bridge when it collapsed in Minneapolis. I was flying and Stace was at our home in Northfield. We don't know anyone who was effected by the tragedy.

The moment it fell, however, a chain reaction started that spread across Minnesota and across the country.

First, a call from Ohio. Stace's friend Rachel called our home to check on us. Stace knew nothing about the collapse, and was stunned to say the least. When she got off the phone, she called Amie and Jane who live in Golden Valley. Jane works at the U of M and Hannah goes to day care just across the river a few blocks from the bridge.

Everyone was okay. Then Stace called me.

The call would not go through.

No voice mail, no message saying "the cell customer has left the area...." just a click and nothing. She tried over and over again. She thought, "Well, he lands around 7:00pm. And he doesn't take 35W home." Still, she tried again. Nothing.

Cell phone traffic had been maxed out, and the systems were failing.

As I unloaded my plane, my courier in St. Paul told me the news. At first he wasn't too clear, and I thought it was I-35 south of Minneapolis. He kept saying "On 35, at the river. They were working on it. Very bad. I dunno, many killed."

My first thought was "Is there any reason Stace would be in Minneapolis?" I called her at home and she told me she was fine, and Amie, Jane and Hannah were fine.

I spoke with my parents in Virginia and told them we were okay.

Every single person I know here has been over that bridge a hundred times. I travel that bridge everyday going to and from Anoka County Airport when I lived in Minneapolis.

It is turning out that this tragedy is not as bad as it could have been. But it still touched so many lives here.