Victims of the 1980 Sunshine Skyway Bridge Collapse

On May 9, 1980, the freighter Summit Venture struck a pier of the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge during a squall, collapsing 1,200 ft of span. Thirty-five people in six vehicles and a Greyhound bus fell 150 ft into Tampa Bay. The 23 victims:

• Daniel J. Gallagher, 29, St. Petersburg
• William "Bill" Gandy Jr., 36, Pinellas Park
• Gary Wayne Goodman, 23, St. Petersburg
• Charles L. "Chuck" Harrell Jr., 35, St. Petersburg
• Joseph "Joe" A. Johnson Jr., 31, Seminole
• Michael D. Lawson, 24, St. Petersburg
• George R. "Bob" Long, 31, St. Petersburg
• Robert Edward "Bob" Martin, 29, Port Charlotte
• Michael S. Morgan, 27, St. Petersburg
• Timothy Michael "Tim" Nickels, 26, St. Petersburg
• Frank S. "Sonny" O'Neill Jr., 27, Madeira Beach
• Daniel J. O'Sullivan Jr., 31, St. Petersburg
• Frank H. "Rick" Parrish, 30, St. Petersburg
• Joseph "Joe" T. Peragine, 32, St. Petersburg
• Richard H. "Dick" Robinson, 34, St. Petersburg
• Dennis G. "Denny" Setzer, 27, St. Petersburg
• James B. "Butch" Simmons Jr., 31, Sarasota
• Gary L. Smith, 29, St. Petersburg
• Gary L. "Mike" Smith Jr., 35, St. Petersburg
• Daniel J. Stevens Jr., 31, Miami
• Daniel "Danny" Walker, 25, St. Petersburg

The replacement bridge (1987) includes ship-impact protection (dolphins, fenders).