Pollard was on duty as a police officer in Webbers Falls when the bridge collapse. 'We haven't decided for sure yet,' Pollard said. 'I don't know if we will do this any more after this 20th anniversary,' Pollard said. ‘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. Surviving family members of the 14 victims made the trek to the Webbers Falls for a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday two decades after the tragedy.īillie Eppler of Alma is the sister of James Johnson who was at Webbers Falls Monday. The Johnsons vehicle and others went off the bridge into the water below. The Johnsons were from Lavaca.Ī barge had struck an I-40 bridge column, and a section of the bridge collapsed into the river. Billie and Curtis Eppler and Andrea and baby Heidi visit the Webbers Falls Memorial Park monument Sunday, May 30 where they remembered the late James Johnson, brother of Billie Eppler, who died in the 2002 Webbers Falls Bridge collapse with Shae and Misty Johnson.

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