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'All of a sudden it just started rocking': People injured in walkway collapse in St. Marys say they fell hard

The group says two are undergoing surgery for their injuries but everyone is else is out the hospital and healing.

ST. MARYS, Ga. — Some of the people involved in Tuesday’s walkway collapse in St. Marys Georgia are speaking out for the first time.

Over a dozen people were hurt when the walkway collapsed into the water said City Manager Robby Horton. Six of those people were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A group of retired submarine sailors and their wives had traveled all around the country to St. Marys for a reunion. They had been waiting on the walkway to board a boat when it collapsed.

“All of a sudden it just started rocking, and then it fell,” Linda Rodolewicz said. 

The walkway fell about ten feet into the water below. 

“I even said who's trying to bounce the dock, and before I knew it we were raised up and crashed to the dock,” Carole and Leslie Shively said. 

Linda and Joe Rodolewicz say they were standing in the middle of the walkway and fell hard. 

“Linda did get a sprain on her leg, so we did go to the hospital to get it checked out, but nothing is broken, but she has a hard time walking without the crutches,” Joe Rodolewicz said. 

Carole and Leslie Shively were also injured. 

“I landed on my left knee and scraped and bruised as I fell to the deck,” Carole Shively said.

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“When we got to the hospital they did an X-ray on my ankle and told us it was a bad sprain,” Leslie Shively added.  

St. Marys Submarine Museum Executive Director Keith Post says he was shocked an accident like this happened. 

“Our waterfront here is practically brand new,” he explained. "It's only a couple of years old after the devastation we felt after Hurricane Irma demolished our waterfront here, all new docks and piers and ramps and everything, and to have one fell like that it was a shock to everybody."

Joe Rodolewicz says Tuesday’s accident is not how they wanted to spend their trip but are trying to make the best of the time that is left. 

“It's a little more serious because of what happened,” Joe Rodolewicz said. "They were all shipmates. We might not have served with them but we considered them shipmates because we served with them on the same boat."

The group says two are undergoing surgery for their injuries, but everyone is else is out of the hospital and healing.  

The city is expected to conduct a full investigation on the structure. The boat ramps are open, but the dock is closed until further notice. 

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