The tragedy was on my mind today and I, like I'm sure many others in this forum, were concerned about you and your family's wellfare.  It's great to hear that all of you are well.  I will keep Laura's friend and all the others involved in the accident in my prayers.  Times like this really put things into their proper perspective.

Good to hear that you're all a-okay, and of course, many get well wishes to your friend, and everyone else, who was injured.

A friend of mine who worked in the World Trade Center was fired a week-to-the-day before 9/11/01.

It was then that I realized everyone truly is connected by 6 degrees...

-- Edited by MrE1111 at 22:34, 2007-08-02

As I viewed the horror, my second thought was "Laura is supposed to go on stage in an hour. Does she know?"

Jane we are so glad to hear that all is well with your family.  We will remember Laura's friend.

I am glad to hear that everyone in your family is okay and I will add Laura's friend to my prayers for a full and complete recovery.

My sympathies to anyone who had family and friends involved in this unfortunate event.  I add my prayers for the recovery of everyone injured. 

Here's an article from the Saint Paul paper about the young actress injured in the collapse. I believe that Laura played the role of Pippi's mother in the "Pippi Longstocking" production that is mentioned?

Best wishes to her for a full and speedy recovery.

CTC actress breaks back in collapse
Teen has little memory of car's 60-foot fall
BY DOMINIC P. PAPATOLA
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 08/03/2007 10:18:05 PM CDT

Jessie Shelton was one of the many motorists injured when the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed Wednesday evening. As the 18-year-old actress lay unconscious with a broken back amidst the wreckage, her cast mates were gathering for a performance at the Children's Theatre Company south of downtown Minneapolis.

Her father, Jerry, was playing in the orchestra of the student production of the musical "Company." When his daughter didn't show up at CTC for the 6:30 p.m. check-in, he and the cast began to worry, knowing that Jessie had been working her part-time office job in Northeast Minneapolis that day.

"She likes to take the freeways because they're quick," her father said. "I take the streets because I don't like the bump and grind. When Jessie was the only one who wasn't there, I tried to call her. But by that time, the damage had been done."

Her Honda Civic had plummeted more than 60 feet to the riverbank as the heavily traveled bridge over the Mississippi splintered and fell. Joanna Shelton, her mother, said Jessie doesn't recall exactly where she was at the time of the collapse.

"She has a vague recollection of tilting forward and backward," Joanna Shelton said. "She's asked us both several times what happened."

Her parents believe Jessie was one of the first victims removed from the scene. She was transported to North Memorial Medical Center, where she was able to give medical personnel her mother's name and phone

Joanna Shelton was in the back yard of her South Minneapolis home, chatting with a neighbor, unaware of the bridge collapse.

"The theater called and asked if I'd heard from Jessie," she recalled. "Within a few minutes, we were watching TV, and it gradually dawned us that she might have been on the bridge. Then, a chaplain called from North Memorial. I just got kind of numb. I mean, (stuff) happens, but not to us. We've had charmed lives."

Jessie had a featured role in "Company" at Children's Theatre; most of the young performers were in costume and makeup when they learned about their cast mate's injuries. Performances of the show - which was scheduled to run through Friday - were canceled. Most of the cast stayed together all night on Wednesday, receiving periodic updates from the show's director, Matthew Howe.

"These kids are like a very tight-knit family," Howe said. "The best thing was to be able to tell them that Jessie was going to be OK."

By Friday morning, the Sheltons were beginning to feel that perhaps some of the charm had returned to their lives. After spending more than a day in North Memorial's intensive care unit, Jessie was moved to a regular hospital room Thursday. She suffered a concussion and four fractured vertebrae but was to be fitted with a body brace Friday and was expected to be discharged Sunday.

A promising young performer who played the title role in CTC's 2006 staging of "Pippi Longstocking," Shelton graduated this spring from St. Louis Park High School and had been accepted into the musical theater program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

College will probably have to wait a semester as Shelton recovers from her injuries and undergoes physical therapy.

"There'll be repercussions; you wonder how much mobility a dancer will lose from something like that," said her mother. "But she'll do well in physical therapy. Jessie's used to working hard."

Laura was indeed "Pippi's mother" and other parts in this show and also understudied Pippi.  She performed as Pippi a couple times during the run. Thanks for the article.  Believe it or not, I hadn't seen that yet so was glad to know it myself!

Here is a link another article about Jessie Shelton, from the Star Tribune website:
Bridge took heavy toll, but not on her dreams

http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1354842.html