Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - When Kelly Sullivan received a Facebook message from a former sea cadet from the USS The Sullivans that alerted her to the tragic 'listing' of the ship in Buffalo, her heart sunk.
"It was a very emotional day," said Sullivan, who is a 3rd grade teacher in Iowa and the granddaughter of one of the five Sullivan boys who the ship is named after.
Sullivan was in Buffalo about a month ago, one of dozens of trips to the city on behalf of the ship in her lifetime, and stood alongside organizers as they discussed the important fundraising to stabilize the ship that had already been damaged by a known leak. Little did she know that in a matter of days the ships' troubles would worsen and the 'listing' would catch the attention of the world as efforts intensified to 'right' the ship and make more permanent repairs.
Kelly was in her classroom when she learned of the situation and her students immediately took an interest, already aware of Sullivan's involvement in the Buffalo ship and it's sister ship, and active duty vessel based in Mayport, Florida hailing the same name.
"I pulled it up on our projector and we all watched it together, and the kids just gasped, it was just heartbreaking," she said.
Sullivan first came to Buffalo when she was five years old and recalls the trip vividly. There have been many trips since and she recalls one visit in particular when she and her daughter Kelsey were on the mess deck and reading letters her grandmother had written to the crew of the ship. All the letters were signed, 'Love, mom'.
"I can't quit thinking about those letters and I just hope they're ok," she said.
During an update on the recovery effort Saturday, WBEN asked Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park CEO Paul Marzello about those letters and other artifacts.
"Sadly we think we may have lost some of those, we don't know for sure."
Kelly Sullivan's connection to USS The Sullivans runs deep. In addition to her involvement with the Buffalo ship, she also christened the active duty ship still in service.
"It's hard to explain the way you feel connected to a military ship….it's almost like it's a person," she said.
Sullivan is in the throws of the school year and has no immediate plans to visit the ship and see the effort to restore her, but she has trust and faith in the contingent of people coming together to save the ship.
"I know how amazing the people are in Buffalo."
While there may be debate about how the 'listing' of the ship occurred or what to do about it, Sullivan is fervent in her belief that the USS The Sullivans must be saved and preserved.
"The whole ship itself is an artifact that teaches so much about our military and honoring our veterans."
