View Full Version : The True Story of the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSxRvV8uqvA
Thought some of you might enjoy this story as I've been waiting 20 years for it...happened right after 9/11 & everyone here was wondering why terrorists would attack South Padre Island. We all knew there were fisherman on sight when it collapsed, but never got any sort of follow up or local interviews. Turns out both the fisherman & the three survivors were under a gag order due to 9/11 even though not related??
It is a long interview but very well told with a whole lot of drama & detail....I broke it down into several sits while surfing. The Coast Guard was 10mins away & took 1.5 hours and absolutely failed in their duties, which was really surprising to me all things considered. What these 7 folks went through is probably movie worthy. There is a little bit of everything & think some of you will appreciate the rest of the story. Even a little 'supernatural' for Steyr towards the end.:cool:
Thanks, I am going to listen to this podcast during my daily commute. This happened a few years before I moved to the RGV but I heard about it from several friends. I have always been curious about what really happened.
Thanks, I am going to listen to this podcast during my daily commute. This happened a few years before I moved to the RGV but I heard about it from several friends. I have always been curious about what really happened.
Take a quick look at the comments if you get a chance...it's like reading a good book that you can't put down. Didn't think I would listen to it all today.
Straight Shooter
04-09-21, 01:35
Well, I listened & got caught up in this for over 4 hours. WOW.
Never heard of it before your post...extremely intriguing.
I listened today- what an amazing story! The incompetence of some of the government agencies involved are shocking but not surprising. I know where that USCG station is (heck, they stopped me for a safety check right under that bridge) so how it took so long to respond is baffling. And the lady in the water story is intriguing to say the least. I agree, this is movie worthy for sure.
They got nothing on Tilly Tooter.
She drove off a I-595 overpass, landed in a tree and survived 3 days on rainwater two pieces of hard candy and a stick of gum, she was 83 at the time.
Straight Shooter
04-10-21, 03:44
I'm afraid ole Miss Tillys tale can't stack up at all to OPs. Too many facets that are so crazy.
I'm afraid ole Miss Tillys tale can't stack up at all to OPs. Too many facets that are so crazy.
She used a trick she learned from a John Wayne movie to put a button in your mouth so your mouth doesn't dry out. Sorry, that is game, set and match.
Not trying to take away from anyone who suffered a bridge collapse, and seriously driving up to a missing section and not even seeing it is the stuff of nightmares, but Tilly was a true badass.
I would take starvation for three days vs a night of bouncing around in a rough lower laguna madre (miserable being healthy) with broken bones screaming in agony for hours, getting eat'n to death by skeeters & then days in the hospital, but that's just me...both would suck, but I'm gonna chose hunger pain over the counter between these two.
Guess we could take a poll??
I would take starvation for three days vs a night of bouncing around in a rough lower laguna madre (miserable being healthy) with broken bones screaming in agony for hours, getting eat'n to death by skeeters & then days in the hospital, but that's just me...both would suck, but I'm gonna chose hunger pain over the counter between these two.
Guess we could take a poll??
So...sorry for the hijack.
I guess your story reminded me of Tillys story, both would suck. Basically I wouldn't want to be in any "fell off a bridge" story. Only thing worse would be to fall off a bridge and be left to fend for yourself for an unacceptable period of time.
Well, I listened & got caught up in this for over 4 hours. WOW.
Four hours? The podcast was only about 1:30. Is there more?
Straight Shooter
04-11-21, 08:28
Four hours? The podcast was only about 1:30. Is there more?
Oh yes...first I listened to the podcast..then watched it. Then, they had part 2 with another guy in the rescue boat & his perspective. Then, a river boat Capt. who was involved.
Then...the son of the guy who ran off the bridge in an S10 truck after gunnng it last second to try to make the jump. He crashed into support beams and lived several hours afterwards.
Big, strong dude who owned a few Sonic drive ins...and he actually invented the Lime-Aid drink line. Then another guy...its now like 4-5 parts..ALL with very interesting tales.
The WHOLE STORY is riveting...the barge, the bridge falling, their conversation JUST PRIOR to the collapse, the Coast Gaurd douchebags...the Texas Rangers, Homeland Security..LET ALONE the whole part about "the woman in the water" & all that went along with THAT. I telling you all now...its INSANE!
Straight Shooter
04-11-21, 08:33
She used a trick she learned from a John Wayne movie to put a button in your mouth so your mouth doesn't dry out. Sorry, that is game, set and match.
Not trying to take away from anyone who suffered a bridge collapse, and seriously driving up to a missing section and not even seeing it is the stuff of nightmares, but Tilly was a true badass.
My HUMBLE apology Steyr...I didnt mean to minimize your tale...Im sorry. HELL YES, an 83 year old doing that IS bad ass. The button in the mouth thing- I remember that.
BUT...the bridge story is a MANY, MANY faceted tale...NOT just cars fallin off a bridge.
I heartily encourage you to watch the podcast...part one. Its just UNREAL the stuff that happened prior to the collapse...and EVERYTHING that occured after.
HINT: There IS a CHILLING supernatural part to this story.
Again...didnt mean to lesson your story....hope I can think like Miss Tilly should the time come.
My HUMBLE apology Steyr...I didnt mean to minimize your tale...Im sorry. HELL YES, an 83 year old doing that IS bad ass. The button in the mouth thing- I remember that.
BUT...the bridge story is a MANY, MANY faceted tale...NOT just cars fallin off a bridge.
I heartily encourage you to watch the podcast...part one. Its just UNREAL the stuff that happened prior to the collapse...and EVERYTHING that occured after.
HINT: There IS a CHILLING supernatural part to this story.
Again...didnt mean to lesson your story....hope I can think like Miss Tilly should the time come.
No apology required. I didn't mean to start a contest.
Straight Shooter
04-11-21, 21:19
No apology required. I didn't mean to start a contest.
You most certainly did NOT, sir.
Im off unexpectedly tonight..gonna delve into Miss Tilly's story next. If you do get around to checking out the bridge story..let me/us know what you think, please.
I've been listening to these podcast episodes during my commute since discovering it from this thread a couple days ago; riveting stuff! The woman in the water and the woman on the phone....goose bump inducing. I'm on the third episode where they're speaking with the cousin. I also definitely recommend giving this a listen.
Straight Shooter
04-12-21, 11:54
I've been listening to these podcast episodes during my commute since discovering it from this thread a couple days ago; riveting stuff! The woman in the water and the woman on the phone....goose bump inducing. I'm on the third episode where they're speaking with the cousin. I also definitely recommend giving this a listen.
There is a new one from I think yesterday...where the main guy..the one who owned the boat...has talked to some of the divers that went down there... what they claim is even more chilling.
You most certainly did NOT, sir.
Im off unexpectedly tonight..gonna delve into Miss Tilly's story next. If you do get around to checking out the bridge story..let me/us know what you think, please.
If I can find an hour to set aside I'll try. One thing I always hated about Florida were the flyover bridges that were three stories in the air, always made me uncomfortable. Of course the worst bridge stories I ever heard were the collapses associated with the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. One more reason I wouldn't live there if it was free.
I finished up #4 w/ the son of Gaspar Hinojosa who's dad's vehicle crashed into the pillar...it's grown way past a tale of a collapsed causeway. Amazing.
Turns out one of the survivors Rene who kept asking about Robin is likely Robin Leavel (RIP) who's family I'm familiar with out of Mercedes...found this on a tx hunting forum & didn't realize when I posted here it was going to be a continuing / ongoing podcast & now up to 12 episodes Folks involved are starting to come out of the shadows to get interviewed, statements being released. Good stuff.
Steyr, I just listen in spurts whenever I'm surfing...at times it becomes intoxicating.
Straight Shooter
04-12-21, 18:40
I finished up #4 w/ the son of Gaspar Hinojosa who's dad's vehicle crashed into the pillar...it's grown way past a tale of a collapsed causeway. Amazing.
Turns out one of the survivors Rene who kept asking about Robin is likely Robin Leavel (RIP) who's family I'm familiar with out of Mercedes...found this on a tx hunting forum & didn't realize when I posted here it was going to be a continuing / ongoing podcast & now up to 12 episodes Folks involved are starting to come out of the shadows to get interviewed, statements being released. Good stuff.
Steyr, I just listen in spurts whenever I'm surfing...at times it becomes intoxicating.
The one Im waiting on, is Bridgette Goza, hope I spelled that right. She survived, and actually dove back down in that black, very fast water to retrieve her purse. From what Ive gathered she doesnt want to talk about it, it has affected her very much. They are interviewing another survivor this week...looking forward to that.
Yes..its WAY past just about a collapsed bridge.
titsonritz
04-12-21, 18:56
If I can find an hour to set aside I'll try. One thing I always hated about Florida were the flyover bridges that were three stories in the air, always made me uncomfortable. Of course the worst bridge stories I ever heard were the collapses associated with the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. One more reason I wouldn't live there if it was free.
The 1989 Loma Prieta earhtquake's epicenter was just north of Santa Cruz, I was in Santa Rosa, CA when that took place. I remember saying, "Where ever that one hit, there's going to be big damage". The Oakland and Interstate 880/Cypress Viaduct was totally wasted. San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge got hit hard too, a section collasped and replaced. It got replaced years later no thanks to the substandard Chi-Com contractor.
The one Im waiting on, is Bridgette Goza, hope I spelled that right. She survived, and actually dove back down in that black, very fast water to retrieve her purse. From what Ive gathered she doesnt want to talk about it, it has affected her very much. They are interviewing another survivor this week...looking forward to that.
Yes..its WAY past just about a collapsed bridge.
Robert said she would freak out so bad every time they went back under the causeway they had to keep her from jumping out of the boat...I also want to hear about the one fisherman he said detached himself from the situation & was basically not involved physically with the search / rescue. Amazing how everyone handles extreme situations in different manners.
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