| Top fire fighter, Chief Jim Clark of the | | | | the attention of Minnesotans away from the |
| Minneapolis Fire Department exclaimed that | | | | calamitous to the consoling. In a statement |
| the first miracle was the low death toll. | | | | issued after visiting the site of the |
| Clark said, "We were surprised that we didn't | | | | disaster on Friday August 3, 2007 only hours |
| have more people seriously injured and | | | | after the bridge collapsed she said, "people |
| killed, I think it was something of a | | | | have been encouraged and their spirits lifted |
| miracle." With upwards of 500 cars crossing | | | | after hearing "so many good stories." |
| the bridge at any given moment that qualifies | | | | |
| as a miracle for most of us. | | | | Laura Bush, who is heralded for possessing |
| | | | some of the most powerful maternal instincts |
| Other stories are emerging even as rescuers | | | | in any First Lady in our history, threw her |
| are still combing the rapidly moving waters | | | | attention on nurturing what remains and not |
| of the murky Mississippi. Divers rushed to | | | | centering on what is lost. No reports |
| the scene with hopes that if they responded | | | | indicate that her visit and her words were |
| quickly they might find victims who found | | | | anything but consoling and were welcomed. |
| ways to survive in pockets of air or that | | | | |
| were only partially submerged in their | | | | President Bush also visited the site to |
| vehicles. Although that hope was deferred | | | | assess the damages and to see how the Federal |
| they are still risking their lives in the | | | | Government can help in recovery efforts. In a |
| dangerous waters to help account for the | | | | brief but meaningful statement President Bush |
| casualties and provide accounting for victims | | | | called for prayer when the news first reached |
| families. | | | | him during a cabinet meeting. He said he |
| | | | thanked fellow Americans that were lifting up |
| Hundreds of ordinary citizens were said to | | | | those involved in prayer." Many Americans |
| have shown up immediately and offered to help | | | | know we have a praying President and most are |
| in rescue work. Some didn't wait and were | | | | thankful that we have a leader that calls |
| found trying to assist anyone of the | | | | upon God to help those he is charged with |
| survivors they could. Minnesotans can be | | | | governing. |
| proud of the University of Minneapolis | | | | |
| students who also showed up in numbers and | | | | The Minnesota Twins baseball team was saddled |
| offered help. Most were asked to stay clear | | | | with a perplexing situation at the time of |
| when professional rescuers arrived for their | | | | the bridge collapse. The game against the |
| own safety but their effort will not go | | | | Royals was scheduled to start only one hour |
| unnoticed. | | | | after the bridge collapsed. Not wanting to |
| | | | put twenty five thousand fans back out on to |
| Some witnesses said that when the bus load of | | | | city streets the Twins decided to go on with |
| 58 children was seen teetering on the edge of | | | | the game. Although sagging in the league this |
| a collapsed section of the bridge it took | | | | season the Twins scored a different kind of |
| their breath away. Similarly breathtaking was | | | | win on the evening of the I-35W bridge |
| the news that all 58 passengers escaped | | | | collapse. |
| unharmed. | | | | |
| | | | The team Minnesotans love, which has produced |
| One 9 year old girl called her father from | | | | greats such as Harmon Killebrew lost to the |
| the bus on her cell phone. When interviewed | | | | Royals on that fateful day but won a bigger |
| by Fox News the little girl seem more | | | | game in the hearts of Minnesotans and all |
| composed than her father who was visibly | | | | Americans when they tastefully called for a |
| shaken and looked like he was fighting to | | | | moment of silence for the victims and |
| hold back the tears. | | | | rescuers at the I-35W site. The moment of |
| | | | silence was announced in the Metrodome over |
| The grandmother of two African American | | | | the public address system and it is reported |
| school girls, Samarra aged 6 and Josette aged | | | | that you could hear a pin drop in the deep |
| 4 said that even though the girls' faces were | | | | silence produced by the 25,000 fans. Hats off |
| disheveled and dirty when she first saw them | | | | to the Minnesota Twins! |
| "It just had a glow like it was an angel. It | | | | |
| just brought 'em back to us." | | | | The catastrophe in Minnesota amplifies the |
| | | | noted enigmatic nature of almost all American |
| Words like "It was a miracle" or "I thank God | | | | citizens. It is best summarized in the |
| he helped me" were commonly heard among | | | | familiar adage, "when they're bad, they're |
| survivors. The immediate reactions of the | | | | very bad - but when they're good, they're |
| survivors sounded more like a time of | | | | very good." Perhaps the one tragedy that |
| testimony in a church than interviews with | | | | seems greater than the tragedy in Minneapolis |
| disaster survivors. | | | | is that Americans don't often get so good |
| | | | until after a tragedy. |
| The Salvation Army was on hand immediately | | | | |
| along with other organizations and the | | | | Let it not be said that this old gospel |
| Southern Baptist relief unit stationed in | | | | preacher did not appendage an article of this |
| Minnesota offered its help as needed. The Red | | | | kind without a scriptural admonition. It is |
| Cross wasted no time getting on the scene and | | | | carefully chosen and is meant to remind |
| conducting a blood drive and calling for | | | | Americans that when alleviating suffering, |
| contributions to aid victims' families | | | | grief and affliction you are never more close |
| through the "Twin Cities Chapter of the | | | | to God. |
| American Red Cross." Blood drives are being | | | | |
| conducted by the Memorial Blood Centers of | | | | "And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, |
| Minnesota. | | | | and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall |
| | | | thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness |
| First Lady Laura Bush gently tried to steer | | | | be as the noon day. |