The message of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes

Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes is the fourth of the six construction workers who lost their lives in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and whose portrait is now complete. I finished his portrait a few days ago, but I decided it might be more fitting to feature it today. Because he and the others represent the foundation upon which this country was founded.

Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes was the foreman of the eight-man crew filling potholes on top of the bridge. He was reporting on the progress in the truck, his good friend Dorlian Ronial Cabrera by his side. Suddenly, everything collapsed and they were plunged into 8°C water. Two men were rescued alive. Alejandro and Dorlian were the first of the six whose bodies were recovered.

Whose fault is it? It will take months, if not years, to investigate the various causes.

I believe I am partly responsible for what is happening. Why?

I have lived in this town for 40 years. I have seen the bridge hundreds of times during my visits to Fort McHenry Park. During that time, I have watched container ships get bigger and bigger and heavier. I began to wonder if the ships were getting too big for the bridge.

The day this thought occurred to me, why didn’t I contact anyone in government? Why didn’t I call my city councilman? Why didn’t I email all my state representatives? Why didn’t I write to my congressman and senators? One of them was former senator Barbara Mikulski. Her staff responded to everything I wrote, including helping me keep my house from being foreclosed on. In fact, I’m still in my house.

Because, like many of us, I took this bridge for granted. It was part of the skyline, and it seemed destined to float forever. On March 26, we all learned how material and fragile it was. It took the lives of six men, the foundation of America.

I committed what Buddhism calls the sin of omission. As an artist, I’m supposed to notice certain things, but an inadequately supported bridge was not one of them.

Would my communication alone have been enough? At least it would have been there for someone to see. Now I will never know.

Dear Alejandro, not only have you become one of my art teachers, but you leave behind the determination to watch wherever I go. If I see something, I will say it. We are vigilant guardians of our environment, whether we know it or not.

In the name of Alejandro, José, Maynor, Miguel, Dorlian and Carlos, become active guardians of your environment by all means possible.