Erin Perry says her parents were on their way to take care of her 93-year-old grandmother when the Forbes Avenue bridge over Fern Hollow Creek in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park collapsed Friday morning.Tyrone and Velva Perry, both 69, were released from Presbyterian Hospital Saturday night. Erin told sister station WTAE both fractured their vertebrae in the collapse."My father actually said every time he closes his eyes, he sees the bridge buckling, so he has experienced trauma. They both experienced trauma," Erin Perry said.Erin says her father was driving the red pickup truck seen at the bottom of the ravine. "As they were driving down the bridge, my father described seeing the bridge in front of him buckle, and then he noticed through the rearview mirror that behind them the bridge was buckling, and then they fell…the bridge was collapsing. He knew the bridge was collapsing. He thought he was going to die," Erin Perry said.Erin says her mother, Velva, was in the passenger’s seat."My mother had been on her phone, and so she thought they had got hit by a car, and then was confused as to why they were still moving until it hit the ground… The other thing that happened is that there were cars coming from the other direction, one that flipped over towards them, and then the second came tumbling towards them and landed right beside the vehicle on its side," Erin Perry said.Erin says her parents were told to get out of the car immediately because there was a gas leak and they had to evacuate the area. "The sound of the gas, the way it was described, sounded like Niagara Falls," Erin Perry said.Erin says first responders and accident victims helped her parents get to safety and eventually they were taken in an ambulance to the hospital."There was a shell of protection around them, and so they feel just blessed and fortunate to still be here, and then there's this tremendous outpouring of support and prayers and love that is coming from all over the country," Erin Perry said.Erin has set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses for her family as they begin their road to recovery.
Erin Perry says her parents were on their way to take care of her 93-year-old grandmother when the Forbes Avenue bridge over Fern Hollow Creek in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park collapsed Friday morning.
Tyrone and Velva Perry, both 69, were released from Presbyterian Hospital Saturday night. Erin told sister station WTAE both fractured their vertebrae in the collapse.
"My father actually said every time he closes his eyes, he sees the bridge buckling, so he has experienced trauma. They both experienced trauma," Erin Perry said.
Erin says her father was driving the red pickup truck seen at the bottom of the ravine.
"As they were driving down the bridge, my father described seeing the bridge in front of him buckle, and then he noticed through the rearview mirror that behind them the bridge was buckling, and then they fell…the bridge was collapsing. He knew the bridge was collapsing. He thought he was going to die," Erin Perry said.
Erin says her mother, Velva, was in the passenger’s seat.
"My mother had been on her phone, and so she thought they had got hit by a car, and then was confused as to why they were still moving until it hit the ground… The other thing that happened is that there were cars coming from the other direction, one that flipped over towards them, and then the second came tumbling towards them and landed right beside the vehicle on its side," Erin Perry said.
Erin says her parents were told to get out of the car immediately because there was a gas leak and they had to evacuate the area.
"The sound of the gas, the way it was described, sounded like Niagara Falls," Erin Perry said.
Erin says first responders and accident victims helped her parents get to safety and eventually they were taken in an ambulance to the hospital.
"There was a shell of protection around them, and so they feel just blessed and fortunate to still be here, and then there's this tremendous outpouring of support and prayers and love that is coming from all over the country," Erin Perry said.
Erin has set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses for her family as they begin their road to recovery.
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