The 2022 film Living tells the tale of a man driven to achieve something meaningful and lasting. His goal was to build a playground in an underprivileged neighborhood in London – the man fought and fought in an effort to make it happen.
The movie resonated with Royd Anderson. He’s kept the ticket stub in his wallet ever since. The ink is worn off and one can hardly see what was once written on it, but it nonetheless served as a reminder.
“That ‘hey, this is not finished,’” said Anderson.
Like the character in the movie, Anderson likewise had his mind set on a goal. The filmmaker and former Hahnville High School history teacher was leading a push to fundraise and establish a memorial for those who lost their lives in the 1999 Mother’s Day bus crash, the deadliest motor vehicle accident in Louisiana history.
It didn’t happen overnight, and at times seemed like it might not happen at all, but that goal was achieved on May 9. A plaque honoring the 22 victims of the tragic incident was officially dedicated outside of City Park’s Pan Am Stadium on Mother’s Day, 27 years to the day after the bus crash took place.
On May 9, 1999, a charter bus with 43 passengers was traveling from LaPlace to Mississippi when it veered off the road and crashed into a dirt embankment in New Orleans. 22 of the passengers were killed.
The passengers were part of a social club, most of which were senior citizens, making a trip to a casino.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the driver experienced a medical incapacitation resulting from severe, undiagnosed heart and kidney conditions. Investigators further identified that the medical certification process failed to detect these life-threatening conditions or remove the driver from service.
Anderson directed and produced a documentary in 1999 about the incident. He also learned that there was no memorial near the crash site.
“I reached out about it … the documentary was televised and got a lot of attention. But it was a five-year push of really advocating for this,” said Anderson.
Anderson said the beginning of Rebecca Dietz’s tenure as City Park CEO last year was a major positive turning point for the memorial effort.
“God bless her for her leadership and her courage and valor in honoring these victims and families,” Anderson said, noting the memorial became a reality within a year of her taking the helm at City Park.
The plaque displays the names of the 22 victims, as well as an acknowledgement of commercial bus safety improvements made since the accident occurred.
Family members and first responders gathered outside of Pan Am Stadium on the morning the plaque was unveiled.
“It was very somber, some were walking away in tears. There were EMS workers there who were at the scene when it happened who came to pay their respects,” Anderson said. “Just finally to see the families there, having them unveil the plaque, it was emotional.”
The historian has become well-known for his ability to delve deep into some of Louisiana’s most tragic events, with a focus on some that have become overlooked or forgotten. Anderson has made several documentaries documenting these events, and has written a book tying many of them together, titled New Orleans Disasters: Firsthand Accounts of Crescent City Tragedy.
A large part of the motivation he has to pursue these stories, be it in film or written form, is his strong belief that these tales must be remembered. We learn from history, and these formats capture the voice of the people who experienced these tragedies – and amplify them forever, along with lessons learned.
It’s not always easy.
“I have a lot of passion in retelling these stories, retaining this local history and not forgetting it,” Anderson said. “It does take an emotional toll. You’re reminding people of something that was devastating to them.”
But their feedback fuels him. He’s received calls and Facebook messages from family members who have since moved away from Louisiana.
Those messages were often similar.
“Thank you for remembering.”
Darrell Mathieu lost his mother on that tragic day. At least twice a year he visits her gravesite and leaves flowers – every All Saints’ Day, and every Mother’s Day.
He called the memorial “a blessing.”
“We finally have a place we can go and reflect, during holidays or Mother’s Day,” Mathieu said. “It means a tremendous amount, just a tremendous amount to me. It’s just been such a long time trying to get a plaque done. After 27 years, we finally have that.”
