Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down
On the morning of May 9, 1980, harbor pilot John Lerro was guiding a 600-foot freighter, the Summit Venture, into Tampa Bay. Directly in the ship's path was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Suddenly, a violent weather cell reduced visibility to zero at the precise moment when Lerro attempted to direct the 20,000-ton vessel underneath the bridge. Unable to stop or see where he was going, Lerro drove the ship into a support pier.



Skyway tells the entire story of this horrific event, from the circumstances that led up to it through the years-long legal proceedings. Bill DeYoung pieces together the harrowing moments of the collision, including the accounts of witnesses and survivors.



Among those whose lives were changed forever was Wesley MacIntire, the motorist whose truck ricocheted off the hull of the Summit Venture and sank. The lone survivor, MacIntire, like Lerro, was emotionally scarred and remained haunted by the tragedy for the rest of his life.



DeYoung offers a history of the ill-fated bridge, from its construction in 1954, through the addition of a second parallel span in 1971, to its eventual replacement. The result is a detailed portrait of the rise and fall of a Florida landmark.
"1114764295"
Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down
On the morning of May 9, 1980, harbor pilot John Lerro was guiding a 600-foot freighter, the Summit Venture, into Tampa Bay. Directly in the ship's path was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Suddenly, a violent weather cell reduced visibility to zero at the precise moment when Lerro attempted to direct the 20,000-ton vessel underneath the bridge. Unable to stop or see where he was going, Lerro drove the ship into a support pier.



Skyway tells the entire story of this horrific event, from the circumstances that led up to it through the years-long legal proceedings. Bill DeYoung pieces together the harrowing moments of the collision, including the accounts of witnesses and survivors.



Among those whose lives were changed forever was Wesley MacIntire, the motorist whose truck ricocheted off the hull of the Summit Venture and sank. The lone survivor, MacIntire, like Lerro, was emotionally scarred and remained haunted by the tragedy for the rest of his life.



DeYoung offers a history of the ill-fated bridge, from its construction in 1954, through the addition of a second parallel span in 1971, to its eventual replacement. The result is a detailed portrait of the rise and fall of a Florida landmark.
19.99 In Stock
Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down

Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down

by Bill DeYoung

Narrated by Chris Sorensen

Unabridged — 7 hours, 15 minutes

Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down

Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down

by Bill DeYoung

Narrated by Chris Sorensen

Unabridged — 7 hours, 15 minutes

Audiobook (Digital)

$19.99
FREE With a B&N Audiobooks Subscription | Cancel Anytime
$0.00

Free with a B&N Audiobooks Subscription | Cancel Anytime

START FREE TRIAL

Already Subscribed? 

Sign in to Your BN.com Account


Listen on the free Barnes & Noble NOOK app


Related collections and offers

FREE

with a B&N Audiobooks Subscription

Or Pay $19.99

Overview

On the morning of May 9, 1980, harbor pilot John Lerro was guiding a 600-foot freighter, the Summit Venture, into Tampa Bay. Directly in the ship's path was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Suddenly, a violent weather cell reduced visibility to zero at the precise moment when Lerro attempted to direct the 20,000-ton vessel underneath the bridge. Unable to stop or see where he was going, Lerro drove the ship into a support pier.



Skyway tells the entire story of this horrific event, from the circumstances that led up to it through the years-long legal proceedings. Bill DeYoung pieces together the harrowing moments of the collision, including the accounts of witnesses and survivors.



Among those whose lives were changed forever was Wesley MacIntire, the motorist whose truck ricocheted off the hull of the Summit Venture and sank. The lone survivor, MacIntire, like Lerro, was emotionally scarred and remained haunted by the tragedy for the rest of his life.



DeYoung offers a history of the ill-fated bridge, from its construction in 1954, through the addition of a second parallel span in 1971, to its eventual replacement. The result is a detailed portrait of the rise and fall of a Florida landmark.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

DeYoung uses electrifying details to illustrate the importance of the bridge and its significance in connecting Pinellas County to Manatee County and points south.”—Tampa Bay Magazine
“DeYoung’s account of the accident from the perspective of the victims traveling on the bridge is riveting. . . . A fresh and vivid retelling of the disaster.”—Florida Historical Quarterly
  “Entranc[ing]. . . . While DeYoung explains the events that precipitated that tragic morning, he does more than that: He makes the pilot of the boat, the late Capt. John Lerro, into a real person. He allows readers to peek into the world of commercial boat captains. . . and empathize with the unreasonable challenges these men undertake as regularly as most of us boot up our computers in the morning.”—Creative Loafing Tampa
“A well-paced narrative that parses history from tragedy.”—Connect Savannah

  “Riveting. . . . A lively marriage of chronicle and storytelling.”—Oral History Review
“An intimately detailed account of this disaster, its victims and the survivors, the legal aftermath, as well as a complete history of the bridge, old and new. . . . Reads like a novel.”—Florida Times-Union
 
“Takes us . . . into the thoughts and emotions of the principal players as the unfolding calamity is perceived too late in the fury of a sudden, blinding rainstorm.”—Florida Weekly
 
“Weaves together personal interviews and extensive research to reconstruct how Florida’s mightiest bridge was built then destroyed, and how the horrendous accident effectively cast a pall over the life of harbor pilot John Lerro.”—Ocala Star Banner
 

Product Details

BN ID: 2940176844344
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication date: 11/22/2022
Edition description: Unabridged
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews