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The Francis Scott Key Bridge

baltimore, maryland
updated: 01.04.25

Thoughts on the Key Bridge and the Skyway collapse.

06.29.24, Lee R., Baltimore, Maryland, Hi, I discovered this site not long after the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year and have spent some time poring over all of the information gathered here. The collapse of the original Skyway is of course now forever linked in history with the Key Bridge disaster due to the similarity of both accidents. In addition, the replacement Key Bridge will very likely be of the same type as the Skyway. Even though I live in the Baltimore area, the collapse didn't affect my daily life as I rarely frequent that part of town. But what did get me really shook up was that I knew someone who jumped off of the Key Bridge. While nowhere near as bad as the Skyway, it did have some jumpers in its 47 year history. I could never find out even roughly how many, as of course authorities don't like to publish that info (plus, all you get now with a web search is stuff related to the collapse). The nearby Chesapeake Bay Bridge gets maybe a half dozen or so a year.
The Key Bridge jumper incident was over 20 years ago and I had tried to forget it, but the collapse brought all of that back up. All that time I was repulsed by the sight or even mention of the bridge, especially because of the unusual and horrid way the jumper died (I was unfortunately privy to some very detailed information about it). Even though the jumper was just a friend of a friend, just knowing a real person who died that way was horrifying. But then the Key Bridge was all over the news and everywhere and I could not avoid it....I imagine people who knew deceased jumpers of the old Skyway also experienced this sort of thing when that bridge collapsed.
Since the Key Bridge collapse, I have done some journal keeping, and I'll include some pertinent excerpts here, including details about that that jumping death. I don't know, knowing someone (even as a mere acquaintance) who jumped off a bridge and died horrified me then and still does now. It's far different if just a stranger. I saw the grief and horror my friend went thru. He loathed the sight of the Key Bridge and said he was almost glad it was gone. I don't doubt that some also feel that way about the current Skyway Bridge and I can see why. Worse yet with a bridge is that it is always there as a reminder... some have to cross said bridge every day. I can't imagine those who have lost someone to jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge that one is really hard to avoid! With regards to the Skyway, even though I have no personal association (and have never seen it in person) there is just something about it that creeps me out to no end. I had watched some drive over videos (new bridge) and some about the collapse of the original bridge and it gave me nightmares. And this was before I found your site! I'm not scared of bridges but that's one I'd really have to think twice before I'd drive over it....
Anyway, here are some of those excerpts. Feel free to post them to your site if you like. Any thoughts you have on this are welcome.
One of my long time friend's best friend passed away at the foot of the Key Bridge in a most gruesome manner. For some reason it seemed, he had developed a bizarre (and eventually fatal) attraction to the Key Bridge. All of this was recounted to me by my friend, who was unfortunately privy to some of the more graphic details of what happened. Whenever this man found himself in a bad situation, unhappy with the way his life was going, he would jump in his car and head towards that towering roadway that spanned the Baltimore harbor. But something had always intervened. Perhaps he had warned friends or family members, and he turned away (or was otherwise dissuaded) at the last moment. Apparently this morbid on and off infatuation with the bridge went on for years ever since he was a teenager and continued well into adulthood.
Then came a day, not long before Christmas, when this man got in his car and headed south on the Baltimore Beltway. He drove out onto the bridge, stopping his car at the highest part of the span, and got out. Then he did the unthinkable. He climbed over the jersey wall and jumped. But he never made it to the cold murky waters below, as is the case with so many others who also made the final leap. Instead, he splattered onto the base of the bridge pier after falling almost 200 feet. The metal monster of my nightmares had tasted blood... Red pouring from a shattered body, soaking into the concrete, scarlet streamers dripping down towards the turgid waters below. Life draining away from an all too willing sacrifice, like that of a slain victim laid out on an ancient stone altar.
An impressive and vital piece of regional infrastructure had become sullied in my mind once I became aware of that tragic death. My initial dread of driving across the Key Bridge was unfounded, but this subsequent event was all too real and sickening. Surely this poor man wasn't the only victim of his own misery who chose that bridge as a way to end it all. And perhaps he wasn't the only one to miss the river and drench one of its piers in gore. But my (and my mom's) close social proximity to this person made it hit way too close to home. Every time I would see or hear anything about the Key Bridge, thoughts of this gruesome death would leap to the front of my mind. And it affected my friend even worse. One time he hailed a cab and then suffered a panic attack as the driver crossed the bridge on the way to his destination.
As said, for me the Key Bridge was always a sinister structure, first a symbol of fear and then of blood, misery and death. But of course that is only my own personal take - and likely that of others knowing people who chose to forfeit their lives from the height of that great span. Yet for most people, the Key Bridge was just a shortcut across the Patapsco River. A simple, useful and utilitarian purpose for which it was built. For others, it was a beautiful example of late 20th century truss bridge engineering and design. A gateway of sorts into Baltimore's harbor and an iconic landmark that defined the area. But they were not shown the dark side of that monumental and impressive structure, as was I.
So now I watch as the skeletal remains of that once mighty work horse, the Key Bridge, are slowly dismembered and carted away. Day by day until less and less will remain, until one day the river is devoid of the last traces of it. Ships and boats will come and go from the harbor, as was the case in the days before the bridge was constructed and before it fell. In the future a new bridge will rise from those dark waters, like a phoenix with its great outstretched steel and concrete wings spanning the river. Gleaming and bright, untouched by rust and time, the memories of its predecessor's grim past will still haunt the waters below. But will this new structure, its eventual form still unknown, continue to inspire dread? Will those of us who saw the darkness of the old Key Bridge have the same reaction to its replacement?
Fear, repulsion and horror, it seems, often leads to avoidance and willful ignorance. A natural reaction is to not want to look too closely (or look at all) at that which causes angst and dread. From the moment I heard the news of that untimely demise and all of its gory details, I could not look at even a picture of the Key Bridge without imagining that ghastly scene. I had the same reaction if someone even mentioned the bridge. I didn't want to look at it or hear anything about it, much less drive across it. It was all I could do to put that darkness out of my thoughts on my last trip over it. But now that it is gone, I am strongly compelled to look at images of the bridge. To try and understand that which had always caused me to turn away in revulsion. I look intensely at pictures and films of its past, as well as those of its demise and dismantling. Now, oddly enough, I find myself closely studying that which I always had turned away from.
In this modern industrial age of science and engineering, such recent legendary constructions and sinister places should not exist....But it seems they do! Structures now erected only for utility have somehow taken on the mantle of ancient building projects designed to inspire awe, admiration and for some, even fear and death. The arenas built by the ancient Romans were made specifically for spectacle. Gory gladiator battles and the slaughter of scores of animals, and countless humans, were the reason these structures were built. Same thing with the temples of the Aztec and Maya. They were created for the purpose of honoring various deities, usually with blood sacrifice. But what of a utilitarian section of roadway that is built to afford an easier crossing of a body of water, a gorge or some other geographical feature that is difficult to navigate? It seems that nothing is just whatever it seems to be, at least on the surface. The angst and dread suffered by those who cannot cross certain bridges is understandable. Heights, open spaces, confined lanes and steep grades are definitely a thing for certain people, all the worse when wrapped up in one dreadful package. But yet the persistent attraction to these ubiquitous infrastructural behemoths by the depressed is another thing indeed. Why choose that lethal way and not another? Why the Key Bridge? Why any bridge? Why taint it with blood? Bridges that have become altars of self sacrifice as though to some sort of bloodthirsty pagan deity, presiding over mass self- slaughter for years and decades, on and on... Passive steel and concrete serial killers somehow luring consenting victims to their grisly demise. Roadways and passages stained by sadness, horror and death. A thirst for blood that is never quenched, as long as a steady supply of willing prey is at hand.
Logically I can separate fact from feelings, but my emotions still reign supreme in memory of this lost regional landmark. Truly speaking, the Key Bridge harmed no one. In contrast, it greatly benefited the region. I don't ever recall hearing about any vehicles going over its sides, nor even any really bad accidents taking place on it. In fact, it was perhaps one of the least eventful stretches of the interstate that circles Baltimore. And those who jumped from its heights into the water or spilled their blood onto its piers, did so of their on volition. Whatever morbid fixations they had on the bridge were in their own depressed minds. The best I can hope for is to try putting all of this into perspective, to see both sides, darkness and light. This misunderstood monster is now gone, passed into history but never to be forgotten. Itself a victim of a rare freak accident that should have never happened.
None of this morbid history would have likely ever entered my mind if not for my intimate knowledge of that fatal plunge from the Key Bridge so many years ago. But it did, and it has, and therefore I must consider and deal with it. The Key Bridge (or any other bridge) would be just a bridge, a passageway across something otherwise hard to navigate, perhaps an architectural and engineering marvel or even a tourist attraction. I'd imagine that's all that most people think about when seeing or crossing a bridge. The idea of someone leaping from a bridge (or other high point) to end their life is of course universally known, yet few would ever give it any thought outside of a passing mention. That changes, however, when such an event intrudes into and impacts one's life in some way. Something that strikes way too close to home, as it were. Which was made all the worse by my having known of the graphic and sickening details of that death. Then it becomes an ever present part of the background scenery, like the black cloud that hung over the Key Bridge in my mind. I cannot look at an impressive bridge without thinking and wondering about that sinister association.

12.26.24, Lee R., Baltimore, Maryland, Phil, it's me again (Lee R) who contacted you several months ago with some thoughts I had on the collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore. I did see that you had published that on your site, and hopefully some will find it helpful. For some reason now I have been drawn back in to continue to peruse your site, as there is so much info and the first time around I missed a lot. I suppose the reason I am writing is that this is partly a confession, of sorts. And also in part it is a question, one which I'm thinking you might have some insight on. Probably the best way I can explain all of this is to use snippets from the journal I've been keeping since the Key Bridge fell. That event was of course the trigger to all of this. I'm going to try and make an epic story short, if such is possible. After the collapse, I developed this strong urge to visit bridges that have the same sort of issue that the Skyway does. I've always had some interest in bridges simply because of my love for art and architecture. Otherwise, I'm not sure why, as I was only barely acquainted with the guy who jumped from the Key Bridge. However, I did get to see the grief and pain that was inflicted on those who were close to him, initially and again after the collapse. Earlier this summer I visited the New River Gorge Bridge (this occurred not long before I first contacted you) and then this fall I did a 10K over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. On both of these bridges I felt compelled to look down over the edge for what I suppose might be a jumper's view... And yes, a visit to the Skyway is on my bucket list, for the same reason (even though of course it's no longer possible to look down over the edge).
All of that I think has maybe given me a way to process these resurfaced emotions, even if I am going about it in a weird way. I suppose it would be like knowing someone who died in a war and then wanting to visit battlefields...
But I saw something while on a vacation this past June that still bothers me to this day. My reaction to what I saw was an exercise in total denial, despite my having initially spent quite a bit of time on your site. I just could not 'go there' in my mind.... Here are a few excerpts from my journal that will better explain it.
For some reason I keep thinking back on something I saw while on a vacation earlier this summer. The first part of my vacation was a visit to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
But once that was over, it was time for the second leg of the trip. Saturday was just a driving day, as my second destination was some five hours away and I was tired out from the previous day. That day was to be used for travel and for me to rest up for what I had planned on Sunday. I was driving south on Interstate 77 going from Ohio into West Virginia. You tend to not see much on long, boring freeway drives like that one, and exits come and go with a steady monotony. My husband was playing around with something on his phone and not paying much attention to anything else. I drove on for some time, endless miles of roadway passing beneath my wheels. I was daydreaming about something, listening to the music I was streaming, when I saw a most unsettling sight just up ahead. As I approached one of so many overpasses, I noticed there was a man standing there at the edge, looking down at the traffic below. This particular overpass lacked the fencing that would keep things from falling – or being thrown – onto the road below. The man was right there, in the center, at the edge, not really doing anything but just standing and staring out over the road. He was behind the edge barrier, but up very close to it. I did not see any vehicle parked nearby, which if on that side would have been noticeable as the edge wall wasn't very high. In fact,it was low enough that the man's body was visible from about mid-thigh on up. I quickly said something to my husband and he glanced up and saw the man. Then I said that I thought that was a very strange sight, to which he agreed. He said it looked like the guy was getting ready to jump. I replied that I didn't think so, that he must have just been waiting for roadside assistance. Surely his broken down vehicle was just out of sight, perhaps on the other side or just off of the overpass...
Driving on, I tried to change the subject of our conversation but I somehow I couldn't.
Especially since my next destination was the New River Gorge Bridge! Yes, that metal monster that has in the past presided over numerous fatal jumps and continues to do so to this day. I told my husband about the terrible reputation that the West Virginia monster has with regards to being a hot spot for jumpers. He did not know all of that, but I don't think he was surprised. I don't know, seeing that man on the overpass and being on the way to the tallest, and one of the deadliest bridges in the eastern US was just ultra creepy. It still bothers me when I think about that. I just hope he was simply waiting for a tow and not contemplating the unthinkable. Part of me had thought about reporting it, but at the time I was in a bit of denial. That, and I was afraid my husband would think I was overreacting. In my thinking before the Key Bridge collapse, almost no one (save for the Key Bridge jumper) leaped off a bridge, and so surely no one would ever jump from a middling highway overpass – or would they?
Then one day, all of the sudden, I began to get links to videos about people who were rescued from trying to jump off of highway overpasses (and some other structures). No, NO! I did NOT want to be reminded of what I saw on Interstate 77! But that is exactly what happened. What I saw just couldn't be; I HAD to have been mistaken. At least I pray that I was mistaken and that my gut feeling was wrong. But was that really something that some disturbed people do? Jumping is one thing with regards to the mega monsters, like the Red Queen that rules the Tampa Bay. OK, yes, I believe that is an apt moniker, although I've not ever heard of anyone literally losing their head from jumping off the Skyway Bridge. Anyway, I watched some of those videos, and then I got to wondering something. If those are the ones that were saved, then just how many weren't/aren't so lucky? Statistically speaking, those who take the plunge (or make the attempt) as a way of checking out of life on their own terms, are rather rare. At least here in North America. Only a small percentage are jumpers as compared to other ways. And furthermore, this small but chilling category is divided up into those who jumped (or tried to) from other structures rather than bridges. I don't know how these lesser structures (including overpasses) rate as compared to big bridges with regards to how commonly they are used for that deadly purpose. The bottom line is that particular dark subset of self-inflicted destruction is truly the skin-crawling underside of the rock that few ever see. Only those of us who have been forced to look must see it.
So that is what I witnessed and what happened afterwards. I wish I had just gone ahead and called for help. Then maybe I wouldn't have this coming back to haunt me. I had a strong gut feeling that something was wrong, but I was in denial, and thought my husband would think that I was being foolish and over-reacting. Also, this happened on a bright warm sunny day - in my mind no one would try to do something unthinkable on such a pretty afternoon... Worse yet, I've never told anyone (well, other than my husband, who was with me, but we did not discuss it) about this and it really isn't something you can just chat with anyone about. Now that I've gone back to your site and done some more reading, I see where others have faced the same dilemma, and how they felt about the choice they made. Or those who wonder what they would do in such a situation. I don't know, I've deluded myself into thinking that this sort of thing was mostly a Skyway problem (and a few other big bridges, like the Golden Gate). I ignored my gut feeling, and now I regret it. Of course, I could have been wrong, but what if I wasn't? I know I can't go back and change the past, but I feel regretful all the same.
Anyway, I just feel like I need to tell someone about this and maybe get some feedback. I have done a lot of thinking (and journaling) about this incident, the Key Bridge, nightmares I've had about the Skyway and about people jumping from bridges in general. Below are some links to my online journal (all of it is public) about these topics.
Your site has answered a lot of questions and provided a lot of insight, though perhaps the 'why' (why people jump or try to jump) is something I don't think I'll ever fully comprehend. It is really tough (for me, at least) to imagine that anyone would do (or try to do) such a thing. Of course, people do it all of the time using various ways. I had a childhood acquaintance who ended his life several years ago, but he shot himself in his home. That was horrifying news, but not to the extent of the Key Bridge jumper's demise. I don't know why that one was so much worse...possibly because I just could not imagine doing it that way. When I was much younger, there were a few times where I thought about checking out, but not by jumping (though I did occasionally think about driving off of a bridge...). Luckily those thoughts never progressed to action and life got better for me. So, I guess my question is what do you think about all of this?
Lee

P.S. I don't mind if you post some or all of this to your site, including any of the linked entries:

i got what i wanted

the final appointment and building monsters

the dark memories remain

what instigated all of this for me

a resurrected monster

the rebirth of a monster

will the others come

i kept having nightmares

12.28.24, we are often reminded about how helpful this site has been for many. while the barrier has virtually eliminated the jumper aspect of the site, we leave it active for whatever else people can garner from it.
your story about the man in the middle of the overpass and whether anyone would jump from one, is exactly how my cousin ended his life. a highway overpass leap into the path of a semi-truck. those that leap from structures, tend to choose a higher elevation, more likely thinking the additional velocity at impact will seal the deal, as opposed to plopping onto the pavement and surviving, having failed death and now suffering injury.
people do want to help others in such times of need. you having failed to help at that time is excusable, as getting involved can be hazardous. we have opinions as to why people do not get involved and they apply to you as well.
perhaps your own thoughts of self-death drives you to dwell on this subject. many people have accused me of a fascination with my own self-elimination. while i have no pressing need to contemplate such an action, it is not off the table when the time comes with advanced age and/or health decline. i feel that is not a mental health issue, but a common sense thought we are entitled to. we are not required to endure the long painful demise. a short controlled end is much more preferable.
if you ever need to talk to this random stranger, feel free. sometimes that's all it takes to help settle inner thoughts that are too hard to discuss with those close to us.
be well...

01.03.25, Lee R., Baltimore, Maryland, Thanks so much for your reply. I think I just needed someone to hear me out, especially someone who understands. That encounter with a possible overpass jumper had been weighing on my mind for some time. Sorry about your cousin who died in that same way...that also must have been rough on the driver of the truck as well. Anyway, thanks again for posting my questions and getting back to me. Lee

01.04.25, when i first heard about my cousin, my initial thought was about the truck driver. it's bad enough you want to end your life over a lost love, never mind taking yourself away from all those that love you, but to drag others into dealing with your last act is incredibly selfish.
try to not worry about your incident on the overpass. if the possible overpass jumper did in fact jump, it was his goal to achieve and he would have done so whether you tried to intervene or you were already at home. generally, people do want to help those in need, but we can not save everyone from themselves. it's just another example of why suicide should be a private matter and not something that forces involvement from the random public. this website is loaded with peoples' stories of trying to help or witnessing someone's final moment. they too had the same experience as you. it's up to you to understand that you had no real involvement and could not have altered his outcome, if he was so determined.
take care and thanks for your contact.

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