‘A helpless feeling’: Webbers Falls bridge collapse witness still thinks of those lost I-40 bridge disaster: How this Oklahoma reporter navigated tragedy and uncertainty to cover I-40 bridge disaster Pollard spoke at the ceremony Monday, to remember the 14 victims who died. Webbers Falls, Oklahoma Mayor John Pollard was a police officer when the Interstate 40 bridge collapsed May 26, 2002. Janette Barlow of Wimberley, Texas traveled to Webbers Falls Sunday to remember victim Gail Shanahan. Watching my kids grow up and knowing that Shae was just a year and a half difference from my youngest daughter," Billie Eppler said. It's holidays with my children, things like that. She said holidays are difficult, even two decades later. We didn't find out for sure until Tuesday evening," Eppler recalls. We were trying to catch them on their cellphones, (James and Misty Johnson) and just the unknown. "It was a phone call from my mom asking me if I was okay. 'I was shocked': First trooper to arrive at Webbers Falls bridge disaster recalls scene Gone but not forgotten: Former mayor to host memorial in honor of Webbers Falls bridge tragedy Everybody loved Jim," Eppler said.īillie Eppler said she remembers, "disbelief," when she answered a telephone call from her mother 20 years ago about the tragedy at Webbers Falls. He was just a great person in our area in our community. She talked about her late brother at Webbers Falls Monday. She said she lives with the memories of losing three family members among the 14 people who died. The Cherokee Children's Choir performed songs in their native language during the dedication they were introduced by Chad Smith - Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.Billie Eppler of Alma is the sister of James Johnson who was at Webbers Falls Monday. The artist, Shahla Rahimi-Reynolds, created the sculpture and attended the dedication. On Memorial Day of 2003, that year on May 26, a memorial statue was dedicated by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. The reopening set a new national record for such a project, which would normally be expected to take six months. Traffic resumed Monday, July 29, 2002, only two months after the disaster. Clark, already a two time felon, was later apprehended in Canada.Īn estimated 20,000 vehicles per day were rerouted for about two months while crews rebuilt the bridge. Mr Clark's efforts included directing FBI agents and appropriating vehicles and equipment for the rescue effort, before fleeing the scene. Rescue efforts were complicated when a man, William James Clark, impersonating a US Army Captain, was able to take command of the disaster scene for two days. Fourteen people died when several automobiles and tractor trailers fell from the bridge. The result was a 580-foot (176.78 m) section of the Interstate 40 bridge plunging into Kerr Reservoir on the Arkansas River. This, in turn, caused the barge he was controlling to collide with a bridge support. Love, experienced a blackout and lost control of the ship. Joe Dedmon, captain of the tugboat Robert Y. The I-40 bridge disaster was a bridge collapse that occurred southeast of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma on May 26, 2002. Magnum Construction Inc., Memorial Contractor White Engineering Associates, Memorial Engineer Our friends and family members lost in the I-40 Bridge Tragedy of May 26, 2002 Parking is available on the street next to the memorial, or closer to the campground area to the north. Two clocks on the center piece show the exact time of the disaster.īenches and flowers are placed along the outside edge of the memorial. This is a very tall sculpture, with the main focus being a large bridge support on which a young girl is standing, reaching for a dove. Around the center granite piece more names are listed, and the others are shown on the panels at the back of the memorial. The monument has two markers on the west side giving information on the disaster. Webbers Falls is on the north side of I-40 as it crosses the Kerr Reservoir. The event occured on one of the busiest travel days of the year (Memorial Day), as families were travelling to favorite vacation spots for the weekend. This beautiful memorial honoring the fourteen victims of I-40 Bridge Collapse is located at the Webbers Falls Historic Park.
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