Two Strangers Born on Same Bridge Say Goodbye After 86 Years

Imagine being born on a bridge and getting to say goodbye to it 86 years later.

That's exactly what happened when Maureen Smith, 87, joined hundreds of people for one last crossing of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge in Perth, Australia. She wasn't alone in her unusual connection to the structure.

Sam Mitchell, 23, was also born on the same bridge in December 2001. His father had to pull over mid-crossing when his mother Tina went into labor on the way to the hospital. "We were a bit like Mary and Joseph turning up with the baby still attached," Tina said.

Maureen's story happened in 1937, two years before the current bridge was even built. Her father delivered her in the rain on the old bridge that stood in the same spot. "I couldn't wait, so in all the rain and the whole bit, dad delivered me," she said.

The bridge closed at midnight on Saturday after serving the community for 86 years. Over the next year, it will be demolished and replaced with a modern structure at a cost of $430 million.

Eighty people with special connections to the bridge received invitations to board the final buses across. Richard Plocki brought his daughter Olive, an aspiring engineer who has been watching YouTube videos about bridge construction with her dad.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine is how these two people, born generations apart in the most unexpected place, both showed up to honor something bigger than themselves. Maureen could have been bitter about losing part of her history, but instead she called the demolition "progress." Sam could have shrugged it off as just a random birthplace, but he recognized how rare this moment was.

Their gratitude reminds us that change doesn't erase our stories. It adds new chapters.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the bridge's brass orbs, built by one attendee's grandfather, will be preserved in the new design. As crews demolish the old structure, they hope to discover hidden plaques and time capsules in the foundations.

The new bridge will serve Perth for generations to come, creating new memories while honoring the old ones.