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sad news

Well, you hope that it won't happen, but you fear that it will. Turns out that the fiancee of a friend of mine was amongst the people who got injured in the bridge accident in Minneapolis. During my time in Minneapolis I would spend many Wednesdays at bars at which DJ Jake Rudh would spin his eclectic mix of Britpop, indie, new wave and all around good music. I followed Jake at all the different places he would DJ throughout the years and really admire the heart and soul he put into delivering good music in a cool, friendly atmosphere. These things are harder and harder to come by these days. I'd be lying if I'd say Jake was a close friend, but I quite liked the guy and enjoyed chatting with him during his gigs. He even "helped" me win some tickets to shows at his DJ nights. That's how I got to go see Travis a while back. On a couple of occasions I met his girlfriend/fiancee, and we never exchanged more than just a friendly greeting, but you could tell she was a really nice person. I wouldn't write this if I didn't think this to be true. I still receive Jake's weekly emails and was shocked to learn that his fiancee, Mercedes, got inured during the bridge collapse. I pasted the email below, I am sure Jake wouldn't mind. Somewhere in this email there is an address to which people can send get well cards. I know that readers of this blog don't know the girl, and that hundreds of people you don't know get into accidents every day, but maybe you could take a couple of minutes and send this girl who will be facing some tough months a get well card. I think it could be quite uplifting and surprising for someone going through some tough physical therapy to receive out of the blue a get well card from someone she does not know, or even better, form someone from a different country. Little things sometime make a big difference. Get on it!

Hi folks,

I'm sending out a quick email about my fiancé Mercedes who many of you already might know was severely injured coming home from work last Wednesday night crossing the I 35W bridge. We've been living a nightmare the past few days, but the support shown by those who already know about the accident has been phenomenal. I debated sending out a memo to my Transmission email list, but doing so truly covers almost every person she and I know...so it just made sense. Below you will find a message from my friend Jim who is taking the lead on setting up a benefit show at the Fine Line sometime in Sept. I'm also going to try to set up a www.caringbridge.com site sometime soon. Regarding the benefit, I'll be DJing it and there will be a handful of bands participating. There will also probably be a silent auction to raise money for the cause.

She is struggling to stay positive as this has been a traumatic experience, but she is the strongest woman I know and we're going to get through this. It sucks to think that this is affecting 3 of her favorite things in life...Palates, Yoga and mainly dancing. I pray everyday that she will be able to dance again without pain. The good news is that she'll be able to walk again. She needs to be in a body cast and wheelchair for the next few months and will have countless physical therapy sessions, but again...she's a fighter, and her will-power will prevail. She took a 60 foot plummet off of the bridge when the pavement below open up sending her nose first into the river bank below. Her airbag and seat belt saved her life...and we are extremely fortunate to still have her with us!

Thank you again to all of those who have already reached out. Please forgive me if you don't hear a response besides mass emails as there are just too many. I'll try my best to keep everyone updated. Below you will see a message from my buddy Jim regarding upcoming events. I'd give her current hospital address, but she is being transferred too many times to different areas as they specialize in different things. As for Transmission, I might have a sub for the next week or so, but I plan on continuing on with normalcy as that's what she and I want.

all the best,


Jake








As some of you are aware, Jake’s fiancé and our close friend, Mercedes Gorden, was seriously injured in the I35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis this past Wednesday, August 1st. Mercedes suffered multiple injuries, including shattered ankles, feet and shins, and a fractured spine. Mercedes has already endured four operations to repair her feet and will be in a hard-shell body cast for several months. She will require extensive and long-term rehabilitation in the hopes of returning to normal mobility.

Mercedes and Jake are overwhelmed by the immediate show of support from friends and colleagues throughout the Twin Cities and around the world. Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated during this difficult period. They provide much-needed encouragement for Mercedes, Jake and their families as they begin the long recovery process.

How You Can Help:
Please consider sending a card of support to Mercedes at her current hospital address:

Mercedes Gorden
c/o Jim Froehlich
4036 Wooddale Avenue South.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
USA