Causeway collapse remembered 25 years later – Port Isabel-South Padre Press

By JACQI LEYVA-HILL

Special to the PRESS

Twenty-five years after the Queen Isabella Causeway collapse claimed eight lives and temporarily severed South Padre Island’s only roadway connection to the mainland, Port Isabel will gather Sept. 15 to remember those who died, the survivors and those who responded to the tragedy.

The City of Port Isabel will host the 25th Anniversary Remembrance of the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the Port Isabel Event & Cultural Center, 309 E. Railroad Ave. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 15, 2001, the towboat Brown Water V, pushing four barges, collided with the Queen Isabella Causeway. According to National Transportation Safety Board records, two sections of the causeway, totaling approximately 160 feet, collapsed following the collision.

Ten passenger vehicles either fell with the collapsing sections or drove off the remaining roadway, resulting in eight deaths. A third section of the causeway collapsed later that day.

Three people survived the disaster: Brigette Goza of Port Isabel, Rene Mata of Laguna Vista and Gustavo Morales Jr. of Brownsville. The causeway was repaired and reopened Nov. 21, 2001.

This year’s remembrance will include remarks from elected officials and community leaders, a U.S. Coast Guard color guard and a speaker panel addressing the collapse, emergency response, rebuilding of the causeway and the lasting effects of the tragedy on the Laguna Madre community.

The program will also include a screening of a Texas Department of Transportation documentary video chronicling the collapse and its aftermath.

“Twenty-five years later, this tragedy remains a solemn and enduring part of our shared history,” Port Isabel Mayor Martin Cantu Jr. said in the City’s announcement.

The City said the observance will honor the eight people who died, recognize the survivors and their families and pay tribute to those who participated in the emergency response, recovery and reconstruction.

Residents interested in hearing additional firsthand accounts can also revisit a separate video project created around the 20th anniversary of the collapse.

“The True Story of the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse” began as a podcast project involving Joshua Moroles and Robert Espericueta and was distributed through YouTube. Espericueta was one of four fishermen who helped rescue the three survivors following the collapse.

The project later developed into the documentary “The Collapse: The True Story of the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse,” directed by Moroles and Espericueta. The documentary includes Espericueta and survivor Gustavo Morales among its participants.

The Museum of South Texas History featured Moroles and Espericueta in an October 2021 program about their efforts to document the events surrounding the causeway collapse.

Moroles reflected on the significance of preserving those firsthand accounts as the community approaches the 25th anniversary.

“Twenty-five years later, the collapse of the Queen Isabella Causeway is still deeply personal to this community. When Robert Espericueta and I began documenting what happened, we realized there were stories from survivors, rescuers and families that could easily be lost with time. This wasn’t just a story about a bridge collapsing. Eight people lost their lives, three survived against incredible odds, and an entire community was changed overnight. I’m grateful we were able to preserve some of those firsthand accounts so future generations can understand not only what happened that morning, but the people behind it.”

For the Laguna Madre community, the 25th anniversary provides another opportunity to remember those who died while preserving firsthand accounts from people who experienced and responded to the disaster.

Additional information about the Sept. 15 speaker panel and commemorative program will be announced as details are finalized.

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