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Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down
“Bill DeYoung’s story of the construction of the original and second span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, of the accident in 1980 that destroyed it, and of John Lerro, the harbor pilot steering the Summit Venture that struck the bridge, is spellbinding and reads like a mystery.”—Robert Kerstein, author of Key West on the Edge
“Bill DeYoung’s meticulous reconstruction of how Florida’s mightiest bridge was built and then destroyed is a compelling read, full of telling details and tragic irony.”—Craig Pittman, author of The Scent of Scandal
On the morning of May 9, 1980, harbor pilot John Lerro was guiding a 600-foot freighter, the Summit Venture , into Tampa Bay. Directly in the ship’s path was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge--two ribbons of concrete, steel, and asphalt that crossed fifteen miles of open bay. Suddenly, a violent weather cell reduced visibility to zero at the precise moment when Lerro attempted to direct the 20,000-ton vessel underneath the bridge. Unable to stop or see where he was going, Lerro drove the ship into a support pier; the main span splintered and collapsed 150 feet into the bay. Seven cars and a Greyhound bus fell over the broken edge and into the churning water below. Thirty-five people died.
Skyway tells the entire story of this horrific event, from the circumstances that led up to it through the years-long legal proceedings that followed. Through personal interviews and extensive research, Bill DeYoung pieces together the harrowing moments of the collision, including the first-person accounts of witnesses and survivors.
Among those whose lives were changed forever was Wesley MacIntire, the motorist whose truck ricocheted off the hull of the Summit Venture and sank. Although he was the lone survivor, MacIntire, like Lerro, was emotionally scarred and remained haunted by the tragedy for the rest of his life. Similarly, DeYoung details the downward spiral of Lerro’s life, his vilification in the days and weeks that followed the accident, and his obsession with the tragedy well into his painful last years.
DeYoung also offers a history of the ill-fated bridge, from its construction in 1954, through the addition of a second parallel span in 1971, to its eventual replacement. He discusses the sinking of a Coast Guard cutter a mere three months before Skyway collapsed and the Department of Transportation’s dire warnings about the bridge’s condition. The result is a vividly detailed portrait of the rise and fall of a Florida landmark.
“Bill DeYoung’s meticulous reconstruction of how Florida’s mightiest bridge was built and then destroyed is a compelling read, full of telling details and tragic irony.”—Craig Pittman, author of The Scent of Scandal
On the morning of May 9, 1980, harbor pilot John Lerro was guiding a 600-foot freighter, the Summit Venture , into Tampa Bay. Directly in the ship’s path was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge--two ribbons of concrete, steel, and asphalt that crossed fifteen miles of open bay. Suddenly, a violent weather cell reduced visibility to zero at the precise moment when Lerro attempted to direct the 20,000-ton vessel underneath the bridge. Unable to stop or see where he was going, Lerro drove the ship into a support pier; the main span splintered and collapsed 150 feet into the bay. Seven cars and a Greyhound bus fell over the broken edge and into the churning water below. Thirty-five people died.
Skyway tells the entire story of this horrific event, from the circumstances that led up to it through the years-long legal proceedings that followed. Through personal interviews and extensive research, Bill DeYoung pieces together the harrowing moments of the collision, including the first-person accounts of witnesses and survivors.
Among those whose lives were changed forever was Wesley MacIntire, the motorist whose truck ricocheted off the hull of the Summit Venture and sank. Although he was the lone survivor, MacIntire, like Lerro, was emotionally scarred and remained haunted by the tragedy for the rest of his life. Similarly, DeYoung details the downward spiral of Lerro’s life, his vilification in the days and weeks that followed the accident, and his obsession with the tragedy well into his painful last years.
DeYoung also offers a history of the ill-fated bridge, from its construction in 1954, through the addition of a second parallel span in 1971, to its eventual replacement. He discusses the sinking of a Coast Guard cutter a mere three months before Skyway collapsed and the Department of Transportation’s dire warnings about the bridge’s condition. The result is a vividly detailed portrait of the rise and fall of a Florida landmark.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2013
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162 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 9, 2013
On Friday morning, May 9th, 1980, I was a student at Pine View School in Sarasota, Florida. School started at 8:15, and I think it was second period that I worked as a student aide in the school office. One of the secretaries got a phone call, and she went ashen. When she hung up, she came out and told us the news. “A giant ship hit the Skyway, and half of it collapsed. Cars, trucks, even a bus fell down into the water.”
This news blew my mind. Back then, there were no iPhones or Androids, so I couldn’t pull up the story. There was no Internet. Only word of mouth, and the local news, and we didn’t have a TV in the office.
Those of us who grew up here, or who’d lived here any length of time, were absolutely gobsmacked. There was no way that bridge could have fallen. I’d ridden across it dozens of times, and it was this giant steel colossus, nothing some stupid boat could have knocked down.
The ship was named “Summit Venture.” A sudden squall with winds up to 70 mph hit without warning, and the harbor pilot—the man whose job it was to get these ships safely from the mouth of Tampa Bay to the Port of Tampa—was a man named John Lerro. The radar was knocked out, and visibility was zero. When he realized he was off course, he did everything he could to avoid the collision.
It wasn’t enough.
Summit Venture hit one of the main piers supporting the center span of the big bridge. A big portion of the span fell 150 feet into the water. Cars, trucks, and a full Greyhound Bus all plummeted into Tampa Bay. One car stopped mere inches from falling, its driver barely stopping in time.
The tragedy was unimaginable to me back then, as it would be now. The Sunshine Skyway was a symbol of our area, a stalwart creation crossing wide, beautiful Tampa Bay. There were twin bridges 100 feet apart. The western bridge was the one that was destroyed.
The story was morbidly fascinating, as tragedies often are, and local media chewed over every detail for weeks and months. The bottom line is that 35 people fell 150 feet to a watery death—most died from the impact rather than drowning—and harbor pilot John Lerro’s life became a living hell from that point on.
Bill DeYoung’s extraordinary book “Skyway” captures the details the news stories missed. DeYoung takes us inside the harbor pilots’ fraternity, explaining how Lerro was not especially popular among his peers. Lerro was an outsider, the first pilot hired by a new State Commission, and several of his fellow pilots resented him.
DeYoung also uses court records, newspaper accounts, and personal interviews to reconstruct the seemingly innumerable hearings Lerro had to endure. He gives us a history of the Sunshine Skyway, and how much it meant to the area, both symbolically and as a way to save incredible amounts of time crossing Tampa Bay (going around it added at least another 50 miles to your journey).
As seems fitting, he also remembers some of the victims, describing their mornings before they met their fate, and he follows the tragic, tortured life of John Lerro, whose own guilt was worse than any invective people sent his way.
Thirty-six people lost their lives that day—35 in the accident, and John Lerro, who was exonerated of any wrongdoing, but whose remaining life was a miserable shambles.
The best thing about “Skyway” is Bill DeYoung’s skill as a writer. He was a journalist for decades, and he writes with a clear, factual economy, combined with the ability to tell a story beautifully without overwriting. He remains a detached observer, while getting us inside the minds of those involved.
“Skyway” is one of the most compelling, utterly engrossing non-fiction works I’ve read this year.
The original Sunshine Skyway has been completely demolished now, its approaches converted to fishing piers. Taking over its role is a giant, gleaming, concrete, cable suspension structure that The Travel Channel named one of the coolest bridges on earth. It is. I drove across the old Skyway once, and it was scary. Not just looking at the empty span 100 feet away, but because of the narrow lanes and slick metal gridwork. I’ve driven across the new Skyway over a thousand times and never worried.
That tragic, stormy day in May has faded into the mists of the forgotten for many Tampa Bay residents.
Bill DeYoung’s spectacular new book takes me back to that day and its aftermath. Whether or not you’re familiar with the story, “Skyway” will keep you spellbound, regardless of where you may live.
The Sunshine Skyway reaches across Tampa Bay connecting St Petersburg with Palmetto. “Skyway” reaches across time, connecting today with a tempestuous, horrible day over 33 years ago.
Most Highly Recommended
(nb: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley)
This news blew my mind. Back then, there were no iPhones or Androids, so I couldn’t pull up the story. There was no Internet. Only word of mouth, and the local news, and we didn’t have a TV in the office.
Those of us who grew up here, or who’d lived here any length of time, were absolutely gobsmacked. There was no way that bridge could have fallen. I’d ridden across it dozens of times, and it was this giant steel colossus, nothing some stupid boat could have knocked down.
The ship was named “Summit Venture.” A sudden squall with winds up to 70 mph hit without warning, and the harbor pilot—the man whose job it was to get these ships safely from the mouth of Tampa Bay to the Port of Tampa—was a man named John Lerro. The radar was knocked out, and visibility was zero. When he realized he was off course, he did everything he could to avoid the collision.
It wasn’t enough.
Summit Venture hit one of the main piers supporting the center span of the big bridge. A big portion of the span fell 150 feet into the water. Cars, trucks, and a full Greyhound Bus all plummeted into Tampa Bay. One car stopped mere inches from falling, its driver barely stopping in time.
The tragedy was unimaginable to me back then, as it would be now. The Sunshine Skyway was a symbol of our area, a stalwart creation crossing wide, beautiful Tampa Bay. There were twin bridges 100 feet apart. The western bridge was the one that was destroyed.
The story was morbidly fascinating, as tragedies often are, and local media chewed over every detail for weeks and months. The bottom line is that 35 people fell 150 feet to a watery death—most died from the impact rather than drowning—and harbor pilot John Lerro’s life became a living hell from that point on.
Bill DeYoung’s extraordinary book “Skyway” captures the details the news stories missed. DeYoung takes us inside the harbor pilots’ fraternity, explaining how Lerro was not especially popular among his peers. Lerro was an outsider, the first pilot hired by a new State Commission, and several of his fellow pilots resented him.
DeYoung also uses court records, newspaper accounts, and personal interviews to reconstruct the seemingly innumerable hearings Lerro had to endure. He gives us a history of the Sunshine Skyway, and how much it meant to the area, both symbolically and as a way to save incredible amounts of time crossing Tampa Bay (going around it added at least another 50 miles to your journey).
As seems fitting, he also remembers some of the victims, describing their mornings before they met their fate, and he follows the tragic, tortured life of John Lerro, whose own guilt was worse than any invective people sent his way.
Thirty-six people lost their lives that day—35 in the accident, and John Lerro, who was exonerated of any wrongdoing, but whose remaining life was a miserable shambles.
The best thing about “Skyway” is Bill DeYoung’s skill as a writer. He was a journalist for decades, and he writes with a clear, factual economy, combined with the ability to tell a story beautifully without overwriting. He remains a detached observer, while getting us inside the minds of those involved.
“Skyway” is one of the most compelling, utterly engrossing non-fiction works I’ve read this year.
The original Sunshine Skyway has been completely demolished now, its approaches converted to fishing piers. Taking over its role is a giant, gleaming, concrete, cable suspension structure that The Travel Channel named one of the coolest bridges on earth. It is. I drove across the old Skyway once, and it was scary. Not just looking at the empty span 100 feet away, but because of the narrow lanes and slick metal gridwork. I’ve driven across the new Skyway over a thousand times and never worried.
That tragic, stormy day in May has faded into the mists of the forgotten for many Tampa Bay residents.
Bill DeYoung’s spectacular new book takes me back to that day and its aftermath. Whether or not you’re familiar with the story, “Skyway” will keep you spellbound, regardless of where you may live.
The Sunshine Skyway reaches across Tampa Bay connecting St Petersburg with Palmetto. “Skyway” reaches across time, connecting today with a tempestuous, horrible day over 33 years ago.
Most Highly Recommended
(nb: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley)
July 30, 2025
The pilot who struck the bridge was an interesting man, and the portrait of his struggles after the accident felt both compassionate and objective, but I was more interested in the bridge itself. I went in curious about how a collision that barely damaged the striking boat could initiate such a catastrophic collapse, and it wasn't really answered to my satisfaction. Also, the audiobook narrator was borderline intolerable.
October 1, 2016
Bill DeYoung tells this story so incredibly well you forget it's nonfiction, and by the time you read the conclusion — many locals near the Skyway know the captain died — it's almost a shock, because you've temporarily forgotten DeYoung's telling you a true story.
If you've come looking for a book only about the disaster, well, you get some of the disaster here. Of course you do; you can't tell Captain John Lerro's story without telling about the Skyway disaster. But DeYoung does an excellent job of making it clear that the disaster was not the Captain's error.
I have a full review posted at Creative Loafing Tampa , if you care to read more.
If you've come looking for a book only about the disaster, well, you get some of the disaster here. Of course you do; you can't tell Captain John Lerro's story without telling about the Skyway disaster. But DeYoung does an excellent job of making it clear that the disaster was not the Captain's error.
I have a full review posted at Creative Loafing Tampa , if you care to read more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2018
OMG I NEVER KNEW! Although I did know that I often have to close my eyes going over this bridge and often say a thank you prayer for making it across. This story is very well done covering the 1980 freighter/pier collision that resulted in 35 deaths. The author explains all the technical data very well but what he covers even better is the emotional aftermath. The harbor captain, John Lerro and the sole bridge survivor survived but with devastating long term consequences. A haunting story.
April 16, 2018
For those of us (like me) who have frequently traveled across the majestic Skyway, a marvelous feat of technology and art, Bill DeYoung's "Skyway" hits close to home. Maybe too close -- it's hard not to play the "what if?" game.
It's tightly paced, and DeYoung does a great job weaving together several narrative strands: the development and opening of the original Skyway in 1954, with the second span opened in 1971; the terrifying events of May 9, 1980, when, during a suddenly intense storm, a freighter crashed into the bridge, causing a segment of the '71 span to collapse and seven cars and a bus to tumble into the ocean, killing 35 people; the aftermath, including the legal and political feuding, and the building of the new Skyway; the fascinating rise and tragic fall of John Lerro, the pilot at the helm of the wayward freighter; and the stories of those who might have died, had they not stopped driving in time. Richard Hornbuckle, carrying three passengers, was driving a 1976 Buick that stopped 14 inches short of the abyss.
"Skyway" is well researched, drawing heavily from media reports, court proceedings, and other documents and video pieces. And it benefits from the author's interviews with all sorts of folks whose lives were intertwined with the tragedy, including sole survivor Wesley MacIntyre, who previously survived the D-Day invasion of Normandy; former US Senator Bill Graham, who, as Florida's governor, largely oversaw the new bridge's design and completion; and the families of those who died in the accident.
A few facts I'd forgotten, or never knew: Lerro, when piloting another ship, had previously struck the Skyway; MacIntyre appeared on television's "To Tell the Truth"; and famed director John Huston would have directed a movie about the tragedy, had he not died on the eve of the film's production.
Would love to see a feature film -- or perhaps a series on Netflix, Amazon, or HBO? -- adapted from DeYoung's book.
It's tightly paced, and DeYoung does a great job weaving together several narrative strands: the development and opening of the original Skyway in 1954, with the second span opened in 1971; the terrifying events of May 9, 1980, when, during a suddenly intense storm, a freighter crashed into the bridge, causing a segment of the '71 span to collapse and seven cars and a bus to tumble into the ocean, killing 35 people; the aftermath, including the legal and political feuding, and the building of the new Skyway; the fascinating rise and tragic fall of John Lerro, the pilot at the helm of the wayward freighter; and the stories of those who might have died, had they not stopped driving in time. Richard Hornbuckle, carrying three passengers, was driving a 1976 Buick that stopped 14 inches short of the abyss.
"Skyway" is well researched, drawing heavily from media reports, court proceedings, and other documents and video pieces. And it benefits from the author's interviews with all sorts of folks whose lives were intertwined with the tragedy, including sole survivor Wesley MacIntyre, who previously survived the D-Day invasion of Normandy; former US Senator Bill Graham, who, as Florida's governor, largely oversaw the new bridge's design and completion; and the families of those who died in the accident.
A few facts I'd forgotten, or never knew: Lerro, when piloting another ship, had previously struck the Skyway; MacIntyre appeared on television's "To Tell the Truth"; and famed director John Huston would have directed a movie about the tragedy, had he not died on the eve of the film's production.
Would love to see a feature film -- or perhaps a series on Netflix, Amazon, or HBO? -- adapted from DeYoung's book.
September 2, 2025
I enjoyed this book. A very interesting bit about Florida history. The author tells the story of the Skyway bridge in 1980 where a freighter crashes into the bridge, the bridge falls down and all the cars keep driving off the edge.
The author also tells about the pilot, the survivors and the rebuilding effort. I found it all very interesting.
I felt sorry for the pilot John Ferro. He got blamed and it was really one of those freak things. I don't really know much about piloting boats but I did understand from the description that it probably really couldn't have been prevented. Stuff happens.
I appreciated the description of the rain storm that was part of the cause of the crash. We have those in Florida frequently. It can be bright and sunny out, then all of a sudden it gets dark and there's a terrible thunderstorm for like 5 to 10 minutes and then it goes away and it's all sunny again. But during those flash storms it is very treacherous to travel.
The author also tells about the pilot, the survivors and the rebuilding effort. I found it all very interesting.
I felt sorry for the pilot John Ferro. He got blamed and it was really one of those freak things. I don't really know much about piloting boats but I did understand from the description that it probably really couldn't have been prevented. Stuff happens.
I appreciated the description of the rain storm that was part of the cause of the crash. We have those in Florida frequently. It can be bright and sunny out, then all of a sudden it gets dark and there's a terrible thunderstorm for like 5 to 10 minutes and then it goes away and it's all sunny again. But during those flash storms it is very treacherous to travel.
June 4, 2019
Outstanding! Reading this book is like you are talking with the author. It is about the Sunshine Skyway bridge in Florida and the terrible ship accident that brought it down, the man who literally brought it down, the judgements, the politics, and survival bringing it to new birth. My family would travel over it while going from Miami to St. Pete every summer. This brought back so many memories of different time. If you are a Florida native and you are fascinated with the beauty of bridges you need to check this book out
May 16, 2020
Compelling read! The writing was was a little rough at times but the narrative was paced so well that the story kept moving. A really fascinating read, not only about the actual incident but also about the history before the accident and the aftermath after. Really fascinating local history and human interest.
December 8, 2021
A truly gripping account of the Skyway tragedy as well as the aftermath for the pilot, John Lerro, and the sole surviving victim from the bridge traffic who went overboard .
The author did a good job of staying detached yet portraying the emotional stakes for people on all the different sides of this event.
The author did a good job of staying detached yet portraying the emotional stakes for people on all the different sides of this event.
April 5, 2024
Incredible book about the Skyway bridge disaster and the people involved. Always heard about the incident and with the recent Key bridge disaster I wanted the complete story. Well this is the book for that. Really enjoyed it.
December 13, 2024
As someone who grew up in St. Petersburg and lived through the Skyway bridge catastrophe (I was in high school on May 9, 1980), this book was enlightening. I appreciated Mr. DeYoung’s objectivism and enjoyed the history/event/litigation format.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2025
On May 8, 1980 the Summit Venture hit the Sunshine Skyway bridge and brought it down. 35 people were killed (incluing a greyhound bus). It was the Friday of Mother's Day weekend.
A well written book that discusses the bridge, the crew and the those on the bridge.
A well written book that discusses the bridge, the crew and the those on the bridge.
October 30, 2017
Interesting read about a horrible tragedy. Emotional. Lots of details.
November 15, 2013
http://ensuingchapters.com/2013/11/15...
It’s hard to elicit raw terror in book form, especially in the opening pages. If the book is 300 pages, you know there is still plenty to come. Real life, however, is a gut-wrencher. For instance, there’s no guarantee I’ll finish writing this review—or that you’ll finish reading it. That’s why well-crafted nonfiction, such as Bill DeYoung’s Skyway, can induce frights greater than most horror novels.
I white-knuckled it through the first two chapters of Skyway, a recounting of the Skyway Bridge disaster of 1980, and was impressed with DeYoung’s narrative talents from stem to stern.
Some background: In 1980 a harbor pilot, John Lerro, was guiding a ship to the Port of Tampa. A freak storm unleashed a nightmare scenario, and without radar or visibility, the ship, the Summit Venture, struck the bridge, collapsing a span of road 150-feet high. Thirty-five vehicle-bound victims, including passengers in a Greyhound bus, plummeted to their death.
It’s a tragedy mostly forgotten outside of Florida, but DeYoung’s brilliant account should change that. With a narrative journalism style, he fleshes out the events of that morning with factual data, news reports and first-hand accounts. We share the helpless terror of the Summit Venture crew as cars plunk into Tampa Bay. We white-knuckle it as a car grinds to a halt inches from the drop. We cheer as motorists band together to halt oncoming traffic and shut down the bridge, saving countless lives.
And then the book really gets good.
DeYoung, a longtime journalist, gives us a longitudinal view of the disaster, from the rise of interstate commerce that necessitated the bridge to the haunted lives of the Skyway survivors decades later. Some of the most interesting bits concern the role the interstate system and mid-20th century financial culture played in building the bridge (and cutting corners from construction to upkeep).
Though it was Lerro who took the blame, it was greed that forced the harbor pilots to take chances in foul weather. Also in play was the exclusionary, good-old-boy culture of the harbor pilots, which deeply scarred Lerro (who was exonerated of any wrong-doing, and in fact was commended for preventing more deaths) following the tragedy.
Skyway put me in mind of Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, which is about as high a compliment as you can pay an author of narrative history. Maybe I’ve just got a thing for maritime disasters (I blame Poe and Arthur Gordon Pym for that), but Skyway is a chilling, informative and deeply engrossing narrative.
This is a book worthy of awards and deserving of the bestseller list.
It’s hard to elicit raw terror in book form, especially in the opening pages. If the book is 300 pages, you know there is still plenty to come. Real life, however, is a gut-wrencher. For instance, there’s no guarantee I’ll finish writing this review—or that you’ll finish reading it. That’s why well-crafted nonfiction, such as Bill DeYoung’s Skyway, can induce frights greater than most horror novels.
I white-knuckled it through the first two chapters of Skyway, a recounting of the Skyway Bridge disaster of 1980, and was impressed with DeYoung’s narrative talents from stem to stern.
Some background: In 1980 a harbor pilot, John Lerro, was guiding a ship to the Port of Tampa. A freak storm unleashed a nightmare scenario, and without radar or visibility, the ship, the Summit Venture, struck the bridge, collapsing a span of road 150-feet high. Thirty-five vehicle-bound victims, including passengers in a Greyhound bus, plummeted to their death.
It’s a tragedy mostly forgotten outside of Florida, but DeYoung’s brilliant account should change that. With a narrative journalism style, he fleshes out the events of that morning with factual data, news reports and first-hand accounts. We share the helpless terror of the Summit Venture crew as cars plunk into Tampa Bay. We white-knuckle it as a car grinds to a halt inches from the drop. We cheer as motorists band together to halt oncoming traffic and shut down the bridge, saving countless lives.
And then the book really gets good.
DeYoung, a longtime journalist, gives us a longitudinal view of the disaster, from the rise of interstate commerce that necessitated the bridge to the haunted lives of the Skyway survivors decades later. Some of the most interesting bits concern the role the interstate system and mid-20th century financial culture played in building the bridge (and cutting corners from construction to upkeep).
Though it was Lerro who took the blame, it was greed that forced the harbor pilots to take chances in foul weather. Also in play was the exclusionary, good-old-boy culture of the harbor pilots, which deeply scarred Lerro (who was exonerated of any wrong-doing, and in fact was commended for preventing more deaths) following the tragedy.
Skyway put me in mind of Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, which is about as high a compliment as you can pay an author of narrative history. Maybe I’ve just got a thing for maritime disasters (I blame Poe and Arthur Gordon Pym for that), but Skyway is a chilling, informative and deeply engrossing narrative.
This is a book worthy of awards and deserving of the bestseller list.
May 5, 2016
"Skyway" is the story of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across the mouth of Tampa Bay and the infamous incident in 1980 where a large freighter, Summit Venture, collided with the bridge and caused part of it to collapse. It also looks at the lives of people involved in the event, especially John Lerro, harbor pilot on the freighter when the collision occurred.
Bill DeYoung looks at all the circumstances around the collision, the subsequent investigation, the victims and near victims of the bridge collapse, and the problems with the bridge itself. The author is a journalist and this is a sharp, brisk book with some tense pages. I breezed through this book in a couple days. The author clearly thinks Lerro was not very much at fault for the accident, although he's got a fair amount of support in that view. For awhile I thought the subtitle was "...and the MEN who brought it down" and that would not really be inappropriate as there seems to be blame to go around beyond just Lerro or the other people on the Summit Venture.
I think some aspects of the story got skimmed over a bit. I never quite understood how Wes MacIntire survived the bridge collapse; there are just some vague references to his vehicle apparently glancing off the freighter. It also didn't seem clear why the bridge collapsed; yes, there was a collision, but the crew thought it was slight and there were references to questionable structure integrity. Did any of the post-accident investigations actually look into the specifics? There's also very little about the specifics of construction on either bridge (for example, an explanation of what "prestressed" concrete is would have been helpful because the term means nothing to me, yet apparently it was cutting edge when it was used on the first bridge). There is only passing mention of the Skyway's reputation as a popular suicide spot. None of those things hurt the book much, but they were questions I was left with. The writing may actually be too focused at times.
This book is informative and a real good read. Highly recommended.
Bill DeYoung looks at all the circumstances around the collision, the subsequent investigation, the victims and near victims of the bridge collapse, and the problems with the bridge itself. The author is a journalist and this is a sharp, brisk book with some tense pages. I breezed through this book in a couple days. The author clearly thinks Lerro was not very much at fault for the accident, although he's got a fair amount of support in that view. For awhile I thought the subtitle was "...and the MEN who brought it down" and that would not really be inappropriate as there seems to be blame to go around beyond just Lerro or the other people on the Summit Venture.
I think some aspects of the story got skimmed over a bit. I never quite understood how Wes MacIntire survived the bridge collapse; there are just some vague references to his vehicle apparently glancing off the freighter. It also didn't seem clear why the bridge collapsed; yes, there was a collision, but the crew thought it was slight and there were references to questionable structure integrity. Did any of the post-accident investigations actually look into the specifics? There's also very little about the specifics of construction on either bridge (for example, an explanation of what "prestressed" concrete is would have been helpful because the term means nothing to me, yet apparently it was cutting edge when it was used on the first bridge). There is only passing mention of the Skyway's reputation as a popular suicide spot. None of those things hurt the book much, but they were questions I was left with. The writing may actually be too focused at times.
This book is informative and a real good read. Highly recommended.
October 23, 2013
I've driven over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge dozens of times, never without thinking about the day the old bridge fell. Twin fishing piers still remain as a reminder that the beautiful span we travel today was not the original. Thirty-six people plunged into the abyss when the freighter Summit Venture struck the bridge May 9, 1980, and only one of them survived.
Bill DeYoung's book focuses on that fateful day and its aftermath. It is largely the story of John Lerro, a Tampa Bay pilot whose job it was to get big ships safely under the bridge and in or out of port. History records his epic failure that day, one that haunted him the rest of his life. As DeYoung tells us, the bridge was an accident waiting to happen thanks to its structure and its lack of protection for the pillars that held it up. The original span opened in 1954 and the one west of it, which fell, in 1971.
There was no debate about what happened--the freighter struck a piling and a portion of the bridge came tumbling down. Cars and a Greyhound bus drove off the edge, not realizing the bridge was no longer there. A violent thunderstorm that eliminated visibility for both Lerro and the drivers on the bridge, was the proximate cause of the accident. The question was to what extent Lerro's decisions were also to blame. Although hearings after the accident exonerated him and he got his job back, his life was never the same. Multiple sclerosis took away his capacity to work and guilt plagued him until his death in 2002 at the age of 59.
Although I feel sorry for Lerro, especially after reading this book, I still think that a better pilot could have avoided hitting the bridge. On the other hand, we probably do owe him a debt of gratitude. If the bridge hadn't been struck, we might still be driving over it today while politicians debate about the cost of replacing it. I can imagine Gov. Rick Scott rejecting the federal highway money that helped pay for the beautiful bridge we have today.
Bill DeYoung's book focuses on that fateful day and its aftermath. It is largely the story of John Lerro, a Tampa Bay pilot whose job it was to get big ships safely under the bridge and in or out of port. History records his epic failure that day, one that haunted him the rest of his life. As DeYoung tells us, the bridge was an accident waiting to happen thanks to its structure and its lack of protection for the pillars that held it up. The original span opened in 1954 and the one west of it, which fell, in 1971.
There was no debate about what happened--the freighter struck a piling and a portion of the bridge came tumbling down. Cars and a Greyhound bus drove off the edge, not realizing the bridge was no longer there. A violent thunderstorm that eliminated visibility for both Lerro and the drivers on the bridge, was the proximate cause of the accident. The question was to what extent Lerro's decisions were also to blame. Although hearings after the accident exonerated him and he got his job back, his life was never the same. Multiple sclerosis took away his capacity to work and guilt plagued him until his death in 2002 at the age of 59.
Although I feel sorry for Lerro, especially after reading this book, I still think that a better pilot could have avoided hitting the bridge. On the other hand, we probably do owe him a debt of gratitude. If the bridge hadn't been struck, we might still be driving over it today while politicians debate about the cost of replacing it. I can imagine Gov. Rick Scott rejecting the federal highway money that helped pay for the beautiful bridge we have today.
February 16, 2017
Another excellent non-fiction 'novel' (on my list with "City on Fire," "Roar of the Heavens," "F5" and handful of others) documenting a disaster and the aftermath.
March 20, 2014
This is the story of the the ship called "Summit Venture" striking the skyway bridge, which crosses Tampa Bay between Pinellas and Manatee counties. The ship was piloted by harbor pilot John Lerro. The ship struck the bridge and a large part of the bridge collapsed. This occurred on a stormy Friday morning May 9th 1980, during rush hour and as a result, 35 people died. The author tells this tragic story in a brief, readable manner and I would say that it is good for those of us who live in this area to sometimes look back and reflect on this tragic event.
July 4, 2016
I have lived in the Tampa Bay Area for 11 years. I knew there had been an accident on the old Skyway bridge and that it had been replaced. But I had no idea of the enormity of the tragedy and how far reaching it was. I will never ride over the bridge again or glide under it on a cruise ship, that I don't think of the lives that were lost there when the bridge was struck and a span fell into the Bay in 1980.
August 29, 2016
A fascinating account
The horrible disaster was news to me, a new resident of the Tampa area. It happened just before Mt. St. Helens blew and during a presidential primary season, so that may account for why it didn't stay longer in the national news.
The book itself is billed as creative nonfiction. It's easily readable, though a bit dry in a few places. But it is generally well told and compelling. I recommend it, especially to people who live or spend time in Florida.
The horrible disaster was news to me, a new resident of the Tampa area. It happened just before Mt. St. Helens blew and during a presidential primary season, so that may account for why it didn't stay longer in the national news.
The book itself is billed as creative nonfiction. It's easily readable, though a bit dry in a few places. But it is generally well told and compelling. I recommend it, especially to people who live or spend time in Florida.
April 8, 2013
I was fortunate enough to be given an advance copy of this book, which will hit the stores this fall. Bill DeYoung's meticulous reconstruction of how Florida's mightiest bridge was built and then destroyed is a compelling read, full of telling details and tragic irony. Highly recommended for any Florida readers, particularly those of us who cross the "new" Skyway on a regular basis.
September 26, 2016
A well-researched and well-told story of great drama and poignant personal stories. Even if you didn't live on Florida's West Coast in 1980 when the freighter hit the famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge and cause its collapse and the immediate death of 35 people, it is a fascinating story highlighting the best and the worst in people and businesses.
July 30, 2016
I do not give out 5 stars easily.
I have always been fascinated by the Skyway story so that may have greased the wheels of my rating.
I highly recommend this book for anyone else who is similarly haunted by those ghostly piers still standing in Tampa Bay.
I have always been fascinated by the Skyway story so that may have greased the wheels of my rating.
I highly recommend this book for anyone else who is similarly haunted by those ghostly piers still standing in Tampa Bay.
August 30, 2016
A very interesting read. This brought together the many aspects of this tragedy. It highlighted the many emotions that the survivors went through. Now I think of this when I cross a big bridge like this one.
January 10, 2017
Excellent read. When this happened, I was in my last week of my senior year at Pinellas Park High School. Everybody in school just watched the news coverage. Don't think CNN was around then. Don't remember if I ever went over the original bridge, but I have been over the new one.
September 1, 2016
Fast-paced account of the disaster that cuts to the core and focuses on the pilot, the crash, and the aftermath.
June 8, 2023
Excellent read, written very well!
December 24, 2016
Really well done. A must-read for those interested in this story.
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May 30, 2018Ruskin Lib. BC, very interesting read! Author was there, showed power point on details of this fateful day & after it happened. Research so well done. I bought the book & he signed it.
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