Bridge Collapse
There From the Beginning
Survivor Resources was among the first organizations to respond to the I-35W Bridge Collapse in 2007. We were at the family center in the first days. Three weeks later we held the first weekly support group for the survivors. The group grew each week as the injured regained mobility, and they continue today. We have worked with nearly 250 people who were on the bridge and/or their family members.
Survivor Resources hosted the meetings with the National Transportation Safety Board in October 2007. We expect to host another meeting when the final reports are concluded. In March we held an informational meeting where the Incident Commanders for the Minneapolis Police, Minneapolis Fire and the Emergency Medical Personnel presented information and answered questions for the survivors and the families of those who lost their lives on the bridge. Survivor Resources assisted with planning the events and supporting those affected by the bridge collapse at the one year anniversary.
We have also been involved in hosting meeting for the purpose of developing a Memorial for the bridge. The families of those who lost their lives and the survivors were able to express what they want the memorial to mean for them and what they want it to mean for others who visit the memorial in the future. That information was presented to Tom Oslund of Oslund and Associates who designed the memorial. The Memorial Garden will be built at Gold Medal Park in Minneapolis. More information on the memorial can be found 35WRemberanceGarden.org.
Bridge Collapse Support Groups
Weekly support groups are open to survivors and rescuers and family members or those who lost loved ones. Families who lost loved ones in the bridge collapse meet on Monday or Thursday evenings with our regular support groups. Sharing your experience with others helps to normalize the difficult feelings and emotions you may still be having as a result of the collapse.
See our Support Groups page for more information on attending all our support groups.
Other Bridge Collapse Information
A painting was done by Marni Tobin to commemorate the bridge collapse and remember the thirteen lives that were lost. The original painting is being auctioned at the 2009 Megan Fischer Auction to benefit Survivor Resources.
More information about the painting, titled "13 Flowers", may be found at oilandwaters.com. Proceeds from selling prints of the painting will go the MN Helps Fund to assist those whose lives were changed by the bridge collapse.