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Friday, March 29, 2024

KC man remembers mom, stepdad killed in 1981 Hyatt collapse

Credit: 41 Action News
Duration: 03:10s 0 shares 1 views

KC man remembers mom, stepdad killed in 1981 Hyatt collapse
KC man remembers mom, stepdad killed in 1981 Hyatt collapse

Brent Wright reflects on the loss of his mother and stepfather 40 years after their deaths in the Hyatt Regency skywalk collapse.

THIS WEEKEND MARKS40-YEARS --SINE THE HYATT SKYWALKCOLLAPSE IN KANSASCI.

TY114 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.THIS STATUE HONORSTHOSE VICTIMS.IT SITS RIT GHBETWEENCHILDREN'S MERCYHOSPITAL AND CROWNCENTER.ALL OF THE VICTIM'SNAMES ARE ON THECOLUMN.41 ACTION NEWS ANCHORTAYLOR HEMNESS TALKEDWITH A MAN CONNECTEDTO TWO OF THOSENAMES.... ABOUT HIS LOSS.BRENT WRIGHT WAS ATEENAGER IN 1981,WORKING AT OAK PARKMA OLLN FRIDAY, JULY17TH.

NEWS DIDN'T TRAVELSO FAST THOSE DAYS, SOHE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUTTHE SKYWALK COSELLAPUNTIL THE NEXT DAY.Brent Wright"Saturday morning I got a callfrom my Dad, and he said gopick up your sister, and comehome, I need to talk to you.""You get that kind of call, andyou know there's no odgonews coming, but we nevercould have expected what weheard when we walked in e thdoor..."THE NEWS WAS GUT-WRENCHING.

BRENT'SMOTHER, KAREN JER,TEAND STEP-FATHER,EUGENE JETER, DIED INTHE TRAGEDY - WHICHHAPPENED WHEN AFOURTH-FLOOR WALKWAYFELL ONTO ANOTHERWALKWAY BELOW DUTOEA STRUCTURAL DESIGNFLAW.114 PEOPLE WERE KILL.

EDBrent Wright"They'd gotten married July1st, and went on ahoneymoon, and sixteen dayslater, they were right overthere at the hotel..."BRENT S WAOVERWHELMED, ANDCOULDN'T FIND RELIEF.THE NEWS COVERAGE OFTHE COLLAPSECONTINUED FOR DAYS,AND THE FEELING OF LOSSINTENSIFD.IEBrent Wright"Went to the police station, Ihad to pick up their personaleffects.

Tho wseere allcrushed and covered in blood.You never forg..etBrent Wright"With tragedy like this, I thinkwe have two choices: one iscurl up in a ball, and justignore everything, or you tryand move forward, an you tryand get something positive tocome out of this."AS AN ADULT, BREJOINED THE SKYWALKMEMORIAL FOUNDATION,AND PLAYED A BIG PART INGETTING THIS MEMORIALBUILT.

HE TOLD ME, HEWAS SPURRED ON BYSOMETHING HIS MOMONCE TOLD HIM.Brent Wright"My mom, I remember hangviconversations with her, talkingabout death, and what if I'mgone.

She'd say, go, live yourlife, be hpyap, but don't forgetme....OVER 40 YEARS TIME,BRENT HAS SHARED HISSTORY, AND HE'S HEARD,AND FELT, THE STORIES OFALMOST EVERY NAME ONTHIS SCULPTURE.Brent Wright"There was a little girl, elevenyear old..."....girl, who was there withher father that night...""...Pamela Coffey.

It was adaddy-daughter dance night,and they were together, and inthe collapse, he died and e shwas under his body.

She wasalive for a while." .."...they prayed the rosary withher until she died.

I met herfamily, and still friendstoday."Brent Wright"We get a lot of things in ourlives everyday.

Texts, emails,news at every second.

And it'seasy to kinda lose some ofthat in the noise of everydaylife.

But we shouldn't.

Weshould remember that, annever forget."TAYLOR HEMNESS, 41ACTION N

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