Survivors Recall 35W Bridge Collapse 7 Years Later

KSTP.com ^ | 8/1/14 | Joe Mazan

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

The heartbreaking images are forever engrained in many of our minds.

Friday marks the seventh anniversary of when the 35W Bridge came crashing down during the evening rush hour in 2007. A total of 13 people were killed and 145 were hurt.

Ana Vences was one of 52 children on a school bus coming home from a field trip when the bridge collapsed.

" I saw dust out of nowhere, then I feel like we flew and we all hit the ceiling of the bus and then we collapsed and landed somewhere." said Ana Vences.

Every one of the children survived.

Vences says she still suffers back pain from the accident, but she says she has overcome survivors guilt.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Video and a couple of historical links, as well.

[Secret Agent Man]

if i survive a calamity i will not have survivors guilt.

if i don’t survive, i won’t, either.

[DManA]

One of the lessons is, you can build a major bridge in less than 3 years. If it takes 20 years it is a sign that the country is severely f-ed up.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

Wasn’t the Empire State Building built in one year? Hoover Dam in 2 or 3 years? Course in those times the government actually encouraged Americans to dream and achieve.

[norwaypinesavage]

"you can build a major bridge in less than 3 years"

This bridge was built in only a couple of years. I know, because I lived right next to it. The houses on the other side of the alley behind my house were removed to make room for the bridge. The area went from houses to working bridge in a couple of years.