On January 24th, 2014, school bells failed to ring across the country, as winter storms grip the lower 48 from Texas to New England, all covered in snow.
And with a massive 40+ car pileup on an Indiana section of I-94 taking the lives of three, our attention is taken back to 22-years ago, on January 24th, 1992, where another accident on an Indiana Highway, the so-named “Indiana Tollway,” had a devastating effect on the swimming community, the Notre Dame community, and the families of three young women.
Two freshmen, Margaret Beeler and Colleen Hipp, died on the scene as the team bus hit a patch of ice and flipped off the road onto its side. A 3rd member of the team, and another freshman, Haley Scott was left temporarily paralyzed by an injury to her spinal cord, according to the Notre Dame student newspaper’s original account of the story. Scott would return to walk, and swim again, and has now written a book and is a motivational speaker.
While it would be impossible for frequently-hit parts of the country to shut down, or shut in, every time a winter storm hits, it is an important reminder that the dangers of icy conditions are very real, with all Midwestern bravado aside.
In the state of Texas, icy conditions caused by winter storm Kronos has already cancelled the TCU-Texas Big 12 showdown. In a state where roads aren’t salted, tires aren’t designed, and drivers aren’t accustomed to these sorts of conditions, it was the only smart decision.
But other teams still traveled. North Carolina State has safely arrived in Minnesota for a two-day battle with the Golden Gophers.
It is a delicate situation, but an important reminder of the care needed when making these sorts of decisions.
I was a freshman at ND at the time, and still remember vividly that entire weekend. Hard to believe it was so long ago. RIP Colleen and Meghan.
Nice reminder, weird tribute to a sad story.
That is a very sad reminder of how dangerous traveling can be, especially this time of year. I am very sorry for Notre Dame and for these families as they remember their loved ones. I hope that all the athletes traveling to their events during this frigid time will be safe.