A picket cross is laden with Miguel Luna’s private belongings — his building uniform and work boots, a household picture, the flag of his native El Salvador — however his physique stays lacking after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Greater than a month has handed since six members of a roadwork crew plunged to their deaths when a container ship misplaced energy and crashed into one of many bridge’s supporting columns. 4 our bodies have been recovered, however Luna and one other employee, Jose Mynor Lopez, haven’t been discovered.
They had been all Latino immigrants who got here to the US from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. They had been fathers and husbands, brothers and grandfathers. They shared a standard dream and a willpower to attain it.
In an effort to honor their lives and their work, Baltimore County’s close-knit Latino neighborhood has constructed an elaborate memorial close to the south finish of the bridge. It contains adorned picket crosses, a painted canvas backdrop, bunches of flowers, candles and an enormous modified American flag with six stars — one for every of the lads.
A gaggle of mourners gathered on the memorial Friday night to supply assist for the victims’ family members and remind the general public that at the same time as cleanup efforts proceed on schedule and maritime visitors resumes by means of the Port of Baltimore, two households have but to be made entire.
“It’s one month, and there’s nonetheless two our bodies below the water,” stated Fernando Sajche, who knew Luna and helped assemble the memorial. “We actually want some solutions.”
Sajche, who immigrated from Guatemala 16 years in the past and works in building himself, stated it shouldn’t be misplaced on anybody that the victims died on the job.
“They’re the individuals who do the onerous work on this nation,” Sajche stated.
The lads had been filling potholes on the bridge within the early hours of March 26 when the ship veered astray. A final-minute mayday name from the ship’s pilot allowed cops to cease visitors to the bridge moments earlier than the collapse, however they didn’t have sufficient time to alert the employees.
One of many officers who helped block visitors stopped by the vigil Friday and visited briefly with a few of Luna’s relations. He admired the memorial and praised the neighborhood’s heat response to an unthinkable tragedy.
Organizers used two cranes to hoist Salvadoran and Guatemalan flags excessive into the air in honor of Luna and Mynor Lopez.
Marcoin Mendoza, who labored with Luna a number of years in the past as a welder, stated Luna got here to the U.S. to construct a greater life for himself and his household, like so many different immigrants.
“Identical dream as all people else,” Mendoza stated. “To work onerous.”
Luna was particularly well-known in his neighborhood as a result of his spouse has a neighborhood meals truck specializing in pupusas and different Salvadoran staples. He would usually spend his days serving to on the meals truck and his nights working building.
Because the solar set Friday night, mourners listened to mariachi music and handed out bowls of soup and beans. They lit candles and prayed collectively.
Bernardo Vargas, who helped assemble the memorial, stated he appreciates with the ability to do one thing for the victims’ households.
“I’ll be right here day by day till they discover these two individuals,” he stated.
Standing in entrance of the memorial’s elaborate painted backdrop, he pointed to a cluster of pink handprints made by Luna’s relations. They stood out amongst summary depictions of the bridge collapse and salvage efforts in addition to a violent scene from the U.S. southern border that confirmed a row of armored officers preventing again determined migrants.
Family members left messages in English and Spanish.
“Right here is the place the whole lot ends, all of your aspirations and all of your work. Now relaxation till the day when the trumpets sound,” somebody had written in Spanish. “You’ll reside on within the hearts of your loving household.”
