Read more about the latest on the Key Bridge collapse and recovery in Baltimore.
Maria del Carmen Castellón-Luna said the day of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore was the “hardest day of my life.”
Her husband, Miguel Luna, was one of six construction workers who died when a container ship crashed into the bridge in March, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.
Castellón-Luna spoke to reporters through a translator on Tuesday, as she and other loved ones of workers who died announced legal action in the case.
“That day, a wound was open in my heart that will never heal,” Castellón-Luna said, calling her late husband her “best friend” and her “companion.”
Castellón-Luna said her last moment with her husband was when he “stopped and gave me a kiss” before heading to work.
Miguel Luna would often go straight from a construction shift to helping at the food truck, where his wife served up pupusas and other Salvadoran dishes. The business attracted a diverse clientele and had a loyal following in their close-knit Latino community south of Baltimore.
She and her husband had been looking for a piece of property to rent so they could open up a restaurant. Castellón-Luna said the business symbolized their shared vision for the future.
“We were determined to have a better future for ourselves,” Castellón-Luna said. “Those dreams were shattered.”
In seeking justice for her family, Castellón-Luna said, she hopes to prevent future tragedies by advocating for safer working conditions. She wants more robust protections for immigrant workers who too often find themselves taking dangerous jobs no one else is willing to do. She displayed a pair of her husband’s old welding uniforms, noting holes in the fabric caused by flying sparks.
“We hope that no one else has to suffer in this tragedy like we have,” she added.
On behalf of the families of three of the workers who were killed in the collapse, including Miguel Luna, attorneys said Tuesday that they would file a motion in federal court, arguing that the company that owns the ship should not be able to limit its financial liability.
It came in response to the Singapore-based company that owns the Dali ship, Grace Ocean Private Limited, arguing in court that its liability should be capped at around $43 million.
A federal judge will ultimately decide what happens next.
In all, eight construction workers were fixing potholes on the bridge when the ship crashed into it. Two of the workers were rescued, the other six — José Mynor López, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella and Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez — were recovered deceased. All of them were immigrants from Latin America.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been investigating the bridge collapse. The FBI has also opened a criminal investigation.
Meanwhile, Castellón-Luna said she plans to continue pursuing her dream of opening a restaurant — now in her husband’s honor.
“I know he is up there watching down on me, celebrating all of the victories with me,” she said. “I will continue to make him proud.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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