Julio Cervantes Suarez, the only survivor from his construction crew in the catastrophic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, recounted the chilling moments of his ordeal in a recent interview. He was certain he would perish as he plummeted towards the Patapsco River. Contemplating his imminent end, he expressed his final thoughts. "I thanked God for family he gave me. I asked him to take care of my wife and kids. And I asked for forgiveness for everything I’ve done," Cervantes told NBC News per Fox Baltimore.
On March 26, Cervantes Suarez and his team were reported to be taking a break from their task of mending potholes when the structure gave way beneath them, as retold in the account by WBALTV. Trapped inside his work vehicle, Cervantes survived by a window rolled down, quickly immersed in water up to his neck, and unable to swim, he clung to debris drifting nearby until rescued.
The incident claimed the lives of six of Cervantes Suarez's colleagues, whom he was with before disaster struck. "Sí, pensé que tal vez no íbamos a salir," Cervantes Suarez revealed in his public statement, his first since surviving. These words translate to: "Yes, I thought I wouldn't come out of the water." The names of those lost - Maynor Sandoval, Miguel Gonzalez, Jose Lopez, Alejandro Fuentes, Dorlian Cabrear and Carlos Hernandez - are remembered for their dedication to their communities and families, as detailed by WBALTV.
As the only survivor of the collapse, Cervantes Suarez carries a burden fractured by memories that refuse to settle into the stillness of a past event. "I relive it all the time," he shared, signaling a trauma relived ceaselessly, in relentless waves, a sentiment echoed by those lost in his Spanish utterance, which bore the weight of gravity for their beloved community. "Lo que dije fue gracias a Dios por la familia que me dio. Qué cuidará a mi esposa, mis ciegos y a mi familia. Y pues, obviamente pedí perdón por todo lo que había hecho," he confessed to NBC News, as reported by WBALTV, translating to, "I thanked God for the family he gave me, to take care of my wife, children and my family. And, I asked for forgiveness for the grace of God."
Details of the harrowing escape and the poignant reflections of the surviving worker bring forth the stark reality of the tragedy. Cervantes Suarez's full interview, where he recounted his narrow escape and honored the memory of his colleagues, can be viewed on "NBC Nightly News" at 6:30 p.m. on WBAL-TV 11, as per the exclusive by WBALTV.
