In times of crisis, the sports teams that cities support through the thick and thin often return the favor.
The city of Baltimore and the state Maryland were rocked to their core when the news broke of the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which took place in the early hours of March 26th.
A container ship lost its ability to steer, and not long after, it collided with one of the bridge’s support beams. Almost immediately, the entire structure broke apart and fell down into the Patapsco River. The tragedy is believed to have claimed the lives of six people who were working on the bridge at the time.
Now, the Baltimore area is looking at a long rebuilding process. The remnants of the collapsed bridge first have to be cleared out of the water, which in itself could take quite some time. After that, experts predict that it could years to reestablish the important bridge because of its size, and cost upwards of $400 million.
It will take a lot of banding together to bring the bridge back, and the sports teams of Baltimore are trying to do their part. Both the Ravens and the Orioles have both donated $5 million dollars each to the Baltimore Community Foundation’s Key Bridge Emergency Fund, and made the official announcement of their pledge earlier today:
Pretty cool stuff right there.
The NFL and MLB teams felt as though it was only right to give back to the community that has offered them so much support over the years. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti had this to say about the tragedy and the hope that their donation can help:
“Our heartfelt condolences are with the victims of this tragedy and their families. We are thankful to our first responders for their bravery and tireless work. The Ravens are honored to support the Francis Scott Key Bridge recovery efforts and affected Maryland families and businesses. We are confident that Baltimore and Maryland will keep displaying tremendous spirit and strength during this time of great need.”
Orioles owner David M. Rubenstein also had some words to say about the joint donation:
“The resiliency of our city has once again been sorely tested. Under the leadership of Governor Wes Moore, and in collaboration with the Ravens, the Orioles offer this contribution to support those who keep our city, our state, and our country in business.”
The $10 million will certainly go a long way in helping the Baltimore community recover and restore the bridge. There is hope that the crucial port for commercial shipping that is currently blocked in by the bridge debris will be back to regular operations by the end of this month.
