Memorial honors victims of Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
BALTIMORE -- A memorial has been created to honor the victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
It's set up on Fort Armistead Road, near where the bridge's west end used to be.
The memorial was put up on Sunday.
There are six crosses adorned with hard hats to symbolize the six construction workers who were presumed dead after a cargo ship crashed into the bridge -- Miguel Luna, Maynor Yassir Suavo Sandoval, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Jose Lopez, and another unidentified man.
Also on the crosses are flags of each of the men's birth countries. There's even a mural being painted as well.
Artist and activist Robert Marquez drove to Baltimore from Dallas, Texas, wanting to create something to honor the victims.
"We want to send a message to the community, especially the family of the people that are trapped in the bridge, that they have people behind them and supporting them," Marquez said.
He worked with the group Los Yonkes to create the memorial.
Mirna Machado's parents happened to be driving by when the memorial was being set up, so that's when they called her to help pitch in.
Machado's parents immigrated to Maryland from El Salvador, where Luna immigrated from.
"[Immigrants are] the ones who built this nation and are supporting the whole nation. Immigrants do matter," Machado said.
So far, only Fuentes' and Cabrera's bodies have been pulled from the Patapsco River.
Since the collapse, the victims have been remembered as brothers, sons, and even as community leaders.
Each time they've been honored, the community has said they'll never be forgotten and their families will be taken care of.
"We're all here for them until the end. The pain is not going to go away, but we're there for them," Machado said.
"We're all family, we're all brothers, this is something we need to unite [on]," Marquez said.
Marquez plans to add more to the memorial, asking for donations of flowers and candles to help with that.
The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs is still collecting donations as well, you can donate here.
