Sunday, February 19, fire destroyed the former St. Hedwig's Church in Edwardsville. I went the next day to do a follow up.
The assumption was that it would be standard fare, with upset former parishioners, smoldering rubble, and demolition shots.
As soon as photographer Tim and I parked the car, a woman rushed over to talk with us. She was very upset that the statue of Mary, on the side of the building, would be damaged or destroyed. It was a neighborhood landmark, and it meant a lot to the people in that part of Edwardsville. The woman pleaded for us to apply pressure to the powers that be.
That was unnecessary. From what a member of the DPW told me, a lot of people expressed the same sentiment. The statue would be removed and put in a safe place.
I watched as the DPW and a tow truck operator cut the statue from its pedestal, places straps around it, and lifted it away. It was placed in the front bucket of a backhoe and hauled away to someplace safe. The bucked was lined with a mover's blanket to keep it from being damaged.
This was a very sad story with a small happy ending.
