Switzerland County was inundated with approximately eight inches of rain, damaging homes, roads and killing one person.
“The water just destroyed that bridge,” said Hagan, 59, whose grandson lives with them. “I was dazzled.”
Hagan felt lucky that only his bridge – which spans a creek – was destroyed by the floods, he said.
“We are alive and we will get through this,” he assured his wife Sarah.
But the couple felt somewhat stranded, as they had no way to get their vehicle over the bridge and into town. Aside from a four-wheel drive on their property that leads to their neighbor’s house, they were stuck.
“Everyone knows everyone here,” Hagan said of his hometown, adding that people quickly learned about his plight. One of the first to reach out was Ryan Jesop, her grandson’s football coach.
Jesop, an eighth grade teacher at Swiss County Middle School, decided to rally his football team to rebuild the bridge.
“As soon as I heard they needed help, I made a call,” Jesop said, adding that he estimates that if the couple fixes it themselves, it could take a month or more. .
As the bridge is on private property, the couple was responsible for fixing it themselves.
“It might be the most work you’ve ever done on Labor Day,” Jesop told his team.
As Jesop had planned, the players agreed to meet the next morning on September 5, ready to rebuild the bridge. Many boys brought their parents and siblings, as well as other members of the community, including a few Cubs.
“Everyone showed up with good attitudes and were ready to help in any way they could,” said Gabe Rose, 16, who showed up with his father. “My dad was like, ‘Well, if I have to take you there, I might as well stay and help.’ ”
About 30 people gathered at their property before 9 a.m., “both of us were speechless,” Hagan said. “Tears were coming out of our eyes.”
“I didn’t expect anything,” he continued. “People’s awareness was just mind blowing.”
The basic structure of the bridge is a steel frame supported by concrete piers – none of which were damaged by flooding, Hagan said. The damaged wooden planks that covered the 60-foot deck, however, needed to be replaced. It was no small feat.
Another school coach, Kevin Steuart, volunteered to pick up a load of fresh wood – which Hagan had ordered in advance – and the football players brought tools and supplies from home. They immediately got to work, forming a sort of assembly line.
“We had to tear everything down and remove all the debris,” Hagan said. “It was like a factory.”
“Adults were the only ones allowed on deck to dismantle old planks,” Jesop added.
Meanwhile, the boys picked up the damaged planks and threw them onto Hagan’s trailer, which he used to haul the discarded wood to a burning pile.
Then they sawed the fresh wood to size and the parents nailed the new pieces in place until the deck was covered.
“I think everyone was pretty surprised at how well we worked together,” said Rose, a sophomore. “There was a team vibe with our parents, and it felt like it brought us even closer.”
The effort of all hands on deck made a seemingly daunting task much more manageable.
“Next thing I know, the bridge was done,” Hagan said. “It was just amazing.”
A job that would have taken him and his wife several weeks took less than three hours.
“I couldn’t be more grateful,” Hagan said.
Football players and their families said the departure from typical Labor Day festivities proved to be memorable – and fulfilling.
“It was really rewarding,” said Gavin Reese, 18, a senior student. “We all came together to help a family in need.”
For Jesop and his team, the decision to help the Hagans was a no-brainer, he said, especially given the couple’s dedication to supporting others.
“They always volunteered,” Jesop said, explaining that amid a shortage of bus drivers, Hagan – who works at the local post office – got his license to drive a school bus in his spare time. . The couple have also welcomed nearly 50 children over the past two years.
“They are amazing people,” Jesop said. “These are the heroes, not the football players.”
In any case, Hagan – who wrote thank you cards to the students and donated to the team – was touched that they were willing to put aside their plans to be there.
“I was very moved,” he said. “If someone breaks down, our community is there to get them back.”
