In late March, Governor Wes Moore of Maryland received a call with news that seemed unthinkable.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, one of Baltimore’s vital transportation arteries, had just collapsed into the Patapsco River after being struck by a massive cargo ship.
For 47 years, the bridge remained a beacon of the region’s industrial roots. But after being hit, the huge steel arch bridge broke into pieces. And six construction workers died as a result of the collapse.
Moore, who now faces one of the nation’s most complex maritime and infrastructure challenges, told me his military service prepared him for this catastrophic event.
“When I got the call, it immediately launched you into your training,” Moore said of his reaction to news of the bridge collapse. “You control your people, establish responsibilities and follow up. When we were informed of everything that had happened, I remained very focused and tried to understand what to do now.”
Moore emphasized that in the military, it’s all about accomplishing the mission at hand, regardless of personal differences. And he explained at length that the concept of American patriotism does not belong to any political party.
In discussing the bridge collapse that triggered the temporary closure of the Port of Baltimore, Moore told me he kept the mindset of waiting for the unknown.
It’s a trait that will be severely tested in the weeks and months ahead, as the first-term Democratic governor and the state’s congressional delegation work to secure federal funding to rebuild the bridge.
“I joined the Army when I was 17. When I was leading soldiers in Afghanistan, I didn’t know it would prepare me for this moment,” he said. “One thing the training taught us is that the only certainty is uncertainty.”
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