Episode 47: Tampa Skyway bridge disaster

Florida Spectacular

This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Bill DeYoung, a St. Petersburg native, veteran journalist, and author of "Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down." Bill and Cathy talk about the Skyway Bridge disaster of 1980, the (untrue and harmful) rumors about Captain Lerro's role in the disaster and, most notably, his play, "Mayday: Captain Lerro and the Skyway Bridge", which opens in St. Petersburg Feb. 10

More about Bill:

In addition to "Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay’s Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down" Bill's also written books about Florida music, including "Phil Gernhard Record Man""I Need to Know: The Lost Music Interviews", "Vintage St. Pete: The Golden Age of Tourism and More" and "Vintage St. Pete Volume II: Legends, Locations, Lifestyles". He is senior writer and editor at the St. Pete Catalyst.

About the play:

"Mayday: Captain Lerro and the Skyway Bridge" is a one-person play centered around John Lerro, the harbor pilot at the helm of the freighter that knocked down the Sunshine Skyway Bridge during a freak storm in 1980. Lerro relates the story of his life, up to and including the "day he checked into hell," and describes – in harrowing detail – the unhappy years that followed. Much of the dialogue was taken from Lerro's own words, in court testimony and media interviews.

Links we mentioned:

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

Off Central (For tickets to "Mayday" when available; the show opens Feb. 10)
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