brooklyn bridge
Unbelievable story behind Brooklyn Bridge
This is an inspirational story of a man whose indomitable spirit and resolution towards his impossible dream lead to the construction of the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge. He could not speak. He could not move any of his body parts but a finger. He was bedridden. Yet he went out to build Brooklyn Bridge.
Birth of a Dream
In early 1800, the people faced difficulty without a suspension bridge. Then in 1883, a creative German Engineer John Augustus Roebling who was expert in making suspension bridges, dreamt to build a spectacular ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ to connect New York with the Long Island. However, the bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible and impractical feat, predicting the entire construction to collapse into New York’s East River. Moreover, it had never been done before and it just could not be done. They told Roebling to forget the idea.
The Father-Son duo take the plunge
Though discouraged, Roebling could not stop dreaming of that bridge. He knew deep in his heart that it could be done.
One day, he shared his concept with his engineer son Washington and convinced him to work on his idea after a lot of discussion and persuasion. Roebling, along with his son, developed the model to proceed with the bridge construction. They hired a dedicated crew to build the dream bridge. Working together for the first time, this team of father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome.
No matter how big the challenges, The Broolyn bridge was ready.
The construction began on January 3, 1870. The project had a great start but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site. John Roebling’s foot slipped into a group of pylons from the shake of an incoming ferry. This badly crushed his toes, causing those toes to be amputated. He later died of an infection leaving Washington Roebling in charge of further bridge construction.
The younger Roebling started the further construction of the bridge. Not long after taking charge of the bridge, he suffered caisson disease, which left him partially paralyzed, blind, deaf and mute.
Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. The Critics called “Crazy men and their crazy dreams” but he never gave up. In spite of his handicap situation, Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He discovered a way to communicate and instruct his wife. The team was called. The work started and for 13 years he held communication with his wife by tapping with his finger on his wife’s arm until the bridge was finally completed.
On May 24, 1883, when it was completed and opened, the whole world experienced the most wonderful phenomenon. A group of dignitary figures walked across the bridge and called it a “8th Wonder of Science”.
Moral of the Story :
Never Never ever give up . Realize your dreams. If Roeblings could do it, any one can do. Only if we have the vision and determination to realize it.