Great Alaskan Earthquake

ANN CURRY: A 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL, CAUGHT IN THE BIGGEST EARTHQUAKE IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY... WOMAN: IT WOULDN'T STOP, AND THE INTENSITY OF IT DID NOT SLOW DOWN.

CURRY: NOW SEARCHING FOR THE BEST FRIEND WHO SURVIVED IT WITH HER.

WE WERE TERRIFIED.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA DIE.

CURRY: AND THE BOY WHO LOST HIS BUDDIES WHEN HIS HOMETOWN WAS DEVASTATED IN THE SAME CATASTROPHE.

AND BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ME.

CURRY: MORE THAN 50 YEARS LATER, LOOKING FOR THE BUDDY WHO ALSO SURVIVED WITH HIM.

MAN: IF WE COULD JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DID FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

CHARLIE PUTH: ♪ WE'VE COME A LONG WAY... ♪ CURRY: THE TIDES OF HISTORY HAVE THROWN STRANGERS TOGETHER... PUTH: ♪ ...ALL ABOUT IT WHEN I'LL SEE... ♪ CURRY: AND TORN LOVED ONES APART.

PUTH: ♪ WHEN I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN... ♪ CURRY: NOW THE SEARCH IS ON... TALK ABOUT WOW.

COME HERE, SIR.

HA HA!

CURRY: TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.

MAN: GOSH!

WOMAN: OH, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU!

PUTH: ♪ WHEN I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ♪ [LOUD RUMBLING] CURRY: AS MANY OF US KNOW, ON THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, EARTHQUAKES CAN BE A FACT OF LIFE.

BUT WHAT MANY DON'T KNOW IS THAT IN MARCH OF 1964, THE MOST POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE RECORDED IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, THE SECOND-LARGEST EVER IN THE WORLD, STRUCK THE COAST OF ALASKA, SETTING OFF A DISASTER SO BIG, IT IS STILL REMEMBERED BY EVEN THE SMALLEST OF VICTIMS.

GOOD FRIDAY, 1964.

ALASKANS WERE ENJOYING A CALM, CRISP MARCH DAY.

IN THE ANCHORAGE SUBURB OF TURNAGAIN, 7-YEAR-OLD MICHELLE WILEY WAS TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE WEATHER.

CURRY: YOU REMEMBER WELL MARCH 27, 1964?

YES, MA'AM.

KIDS WERE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY, AND GRETCHEN YOUNG, MY GOOD FRIEND, AND I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO GO ICE-SKATING.

[GIRLS GIGGLING] THERE'S GRETCHEN RIGHT THERE, WITH HER HAT ON.

AND...WE'D DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

CURRY: YOU HAD A PRETTY SWEET LITTLE CHILDHOOD THERE.

YES, I DID.

I WAS VERY FORTUNATE.

YOU COULD GO DOWN TO THE SKATING RINK, YOU COULD GO SLEDDING, YOU COULD GO DO ANYTHING, AND YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOU.

IT WAS A SAFE COMMUNITY?

VERY SAFE.

CURRY: 120 MILES EAST OF TURNAGAIN, THE TIGHT-KNIT TOWN OF VALDEZ WAS ALSO THE PERFECT CHILDHOOD PLAYGROUND FOR 12-YEAR-OLD DANNY KENDALL.

CURRY: SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GROW UP IN SUCH A SMALL TOWN LIKE VALDEZ?

IT WAS A TOWN OF ADVENTURE.

WE COULD RIDE OUR BICYCLES OUT TO THE GLACIER AND WALK ON THE GLACIER.

IT'S A TOWN WHERE EVERYONE KNEW EVERYONE.

WE WERE ALL JUST KIND OF FRIENDS, AND WE'D HANG OUT TOGETHER AND JUST WENT ON ADVENTURES.

CURRY: AND JUST LIKE MICHELLE, GOOD FRIDAY 1964 IS A DAY THAT DANNY CAN'T FORGET.

THE KIDS WERE OUT PLAYING, GETTING IN SNOWBALL FIGHTS, THROWING STUFF AT EACH OTHER, SLEDDING.

IT WAS JUST A SPECIAL DAY FOR KIDS 'CAUSE SCHOOL WAS OUT.

I WAS PROBABLY JUST OUT WANDERING AROUND, LOOKING FOR FUN.

CURRY: ON ANY NORMAL DAY, DANNY WOULD HAVE BEEN PALLING AROUND WITH HIS CLOSEST NEIGHBOR AND LITTLE LEAGUE TEAMMATE RUDOLPH, KNOWN AS "BUCKY" TO HIS FRIENDS.

AH!

THIS IS THE BASEBALL TEAM.

THIS IS THE LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM.

THIS IS LOUIE ST. AMMON, DONNIE BREWER, WARREN WITNIKOFF.

AND WHERE'S-- WHERE'S BUCKY?

THERE'S--BUCKY'S OVER THERE.

OH, MAN.

CURRY: BUT WITH BUCKY NOWHERE TO BE SEEN, DANNY MET UP WITH A COUPLE OF OLDER FRIENDS, DENNIS CUNNINGHAM AND STANLEY KNUTSEN.

I FOUND DENNIS AND STANLEY AND...HUNG OUT WITH THEM.

THEY WERE HEADING DOWN TOWARD THE DOCK, AND SO I TAGGED ALONG.

CURRY: THE BOYS WENT ON THEIR WAY TO THE PORT, WHERE, JUST MINUTES EARLIER, THE SS CHENA, A 10,000-TON SUPPLY SHIP, HAD ARRIVED.

DANNY: IN A SNOWY WINTER TOWN, WHEN THE SHIP COMES IN, IT'S A BIT OF EXCITEMENT.

DENNIS AND STANLEY HAD BRAGGED AT SCHOOL ABOUT GOING DOWN THERE AND GETTING SOME GOODIES-- YOU KNOW, CANDY BARS OR SWEET ROLLS OR SOMETHING-- FROM THE GALLEY, AND I CAUGHT UP WITH THEM AND SAID, "OK, TELL ME ABOUT THESE GOODIES."

AND SO WE WALKED DOWN TO THE SHIP.

WE LOOKED AROUND AND WE'D GO ON THE SHIP AND COME OFF THE SHIP, AND I KEPT ASKING ABOUT, "WELL, WHERE ARE THE GOODIES?

WHAT DO YOU DO?"

AND THEY JUST WOULDN'T TELL ME.

CURRY: ANNOYED THE OLDER BOYS WEREN'T HELPING HIM, DANNY LEFT.

HIS DECISION TO GO HOME WOULD ULTIMATELY SAVE HIS LIFE.

AT 5:36 P.M. LOCAL TIME, JUST AS DANNY RETURNED HOME, HIS WORLD QUITE LITERALLY CAME CRASHING DOWN.

[LOUD CRACKING, RUMBLING] TWO TECTONIC PLATES THAT HAD BEEN GRINDING TOGETHER OVER MILLENNIA FINALLY RUPTURED.

THE RESULTING EARTHQUAKE RIPPED THROUGH ALASKA'S ENTIRE SOUTHERN SEABOARD WITH A MASSIVE, DESTRUCTIVE FORCE.

DANNY: THE HOUSE WAS SHAKING THAT MUCH.

I COULDN'T CLOSE THE DOOR.

I WAS ON MY KNEES, TRYING TO HOLD ON TO THINGS, AND THE SOUND KEPT INCREASING, INCREASING.

AND THEN THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER.

IT'S LIKE A 747 FLYING OVER, BUT IT WAS EVEN LOUDER THAN THAT, AND IT HAD MORE RUMBLE TO IT.

WHEN I TRIED TO WALK, I PUT MY FOOT DOWN, BUT IT NEVER LANDED WHERE I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T STAND UP.

WHILE THIS IS GOING ON, TOO, WE LOOK OUT THE WINDOW.

WE SEE THE TREES OUT THERE DOING THIS.

CURRY: TO THE WEST OF VALDEZ, TURNAGAIN IN ANCHORAGE WAS ALSO BEING WRECKED BY THE QUAKE.

BY THE TIME THE FIRST GIANT TREMOR SHOOK THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MICHELLE AND GRETCHEN HAD LEFT THE ICE RINK AND WERE WATCHING TELEVISION IN THE BASEMENT OF GRETCHEN'S HOUSE.

MICHELLE: THIS IS JUST A REALLY MOVING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I ACTUALLY SURVIVED THAT EARTHQUAKE IN THIS HOUSE.

EVERYTHING JUST HAPPENED ALL AT ONCE.

I MEAN, THE MOTION, THE NOISE.

IT SLAMMED YOU.

CURRY: THE SHAKING IS HAPPENING, BUT YOU'RE 7 YEARS OLD.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING--IT'S JUST GOING AND GOING AND GOING.

IT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER.

IT WOULDN'T STOP, AND THE INTENSITY OF IT DID NOT SLOW DOWN.

IT GAINED STRENGTH.

CURRY: LASTING 4 1/2 MINUTES, THE QUAKE WAS THE LARGEST IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY.

FOR TWO SMALL GIRLS, IT SEEMED LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD.

MICHELLE: IT WAS LIKE 10 HUGE FREIGHT TRAINS GOING THROUGH YOUR HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME.

[RUMBLING] WE ALL HELD ON FOR DEAR LIFE.

AS CHILDREN, WE WERE TERRIFIED.

ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA DIE.

CURRY: MICHELLE'S NEIGHBORHOOD OF TURNAGAIN WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST-HIT.

THE TREMORS, SOME REACHING A MAGNITUDE OF 9.2, LIQUEFIED THE CLAY SOIL ON WHICH THE HOUSES WERE BUILT.

AS ENTIRE STREETS BEGAN TO COLLAPSE AND SLIDE, MICHELLE AND GRETCHEN REALIZED THEY HAD TO GET OUT OF THE BASEMENT.

MICHELLE: WE TRIED TO SCRAMBLE UP THE STAIRS, AND IT WAS REALLY HARD; WE WERE ON OUR HANDS AND KNEES BECAUSE WE COULDN'T WALK, AND THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING TO HOLD ON TO.

CURRY: IT WAS A MOMENT OF SHEER TERROR, BUT GRETCHEN'S MOTHER, MRS. YOUNG, PROVIDED THE REASSURANCE MICHELLE NEEDED.

MICHELLE: MRS. YOUNG MET US AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS AND KIND OF, LIKE, YOU KNOW, CLASPED US.

CURRY: WERE THINGS FALLING ABOVE YOU?

OH, EVERYTHING WAS GOING AWRY.

THE--DID THINGS HIT YOU, OR DO YOU THINK THAT SHE ACTUALLY SHIELDED YOU FROM-- SHE SHIELDED US FROM THAT.

I JUST REMEMBER FEELING SAFE BECAUSE HER MOTHER'S ARMS WERE AROUND ME.

I'M TRYING TO IMAGINE GRETCHEN'S MOM, MRS. YOUNG... MM-HMM.

AND HOW SHE WAS TRYING TO SHIELD YOU LITTLE CHILDREN.

ALL I REMEMBER WAS HER MOM CLUTCHING US, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY YOU COULD STAND DURING THAT VIOLENT SHAKING AND REMEMBERING-- AND I'M 7 YEARS OLD AND SCARED TO DEATH, BUT MRS. YOUNG WAS WONDERFUL.

CURRY: AS MICHELLE HUDDLED FOR SURVIVAL WITH GRETCHEN'S FAMILY, FURTHER EAST, THE SMALL COMMUNITY OF VALDEZ WAS ALSO BEING RIPPED APART.

LIKE TURNAGAIN, THE PORT TOWN CRUMBLED AS THE GROUND BENEATH IT FELL, BUT ITS POSITION, DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE EPICENTER, INTENSIFIED THE EFFECTS.

THE VIOLENT SHAKING CAUSED ENORMOUS WAVES IN VALDEZ BAY THAT POUNDED THE TOWN'S SEAFRONT.

THIS UNIQUE FOOTAGE, FILMED FROM THE DECK OF THE SS CHENA, DOCUMENTS THE EXACT MOMENT THE EARTHQUAKE HIT.

UNDERGROUND LANDSLIDES OPENED UP CHASMS IN THE SEABED SURROUNDING THE PORT... AND THE ENTIRE DOCK OF VALDEZ BEGAN TO SLIDE INTO THE BAY.

THIS WHOLE LAND AREA IN THE FRONT OF TOWN ON THE WATER SIDE COLLAPSED.

IT SANK INTO THE WATER.

AND WE LOOKED DOWN THE STREET TOWARD THE DOCKS AND WE COULD SEE THE--THE CHENA RISING UP LIKE THIS, TILL WE COULD SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP.

SHIP WENT UP AND DOWN LIKE THIS, UP AND DOWN LIKE THIS.

CURRY: TOSSED AROUND BY THE GIANT WAVES, THE SHIP BECAME A COLOSSAL JACKHAMMER.

IT ROSE LIKE THIS, TRAVELED LIKE THIS.

WE SEE THE PROPELLER.

IT GOES DOWN LIKE THIS, WHERE THE SMALL BOAT HARBOR WAS, CAME UP AGAIN... AND IT COLLAPSED AGAIN ON THE-- ON THE DOCK DOWN THE STREET FROM US.

CURRY: THE PEOPLE ON THE DOCK WERE SWALLOWED INTO THE ABYSS AS THE CHENA CRASHED DOWN INTO THE WAVES.

[SEA GULLS CRYING] DANNY: THEY ONLY RECOVERED ONE PERSON.

ONE BODY WAS ALL THAT WAS RECOVERED, AND HE WAS CLINGING TO ONE OF THE PILINGS OVER HERE.

THESE PILINGS REPRESENT THE LOST SOUL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE.

CURRY: A TOTAL OF 32 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES IN VALDEZ THAT DAY, MORE FATALITIES THAN ANY OTHER ALASKAN COMMUNITY; NOT ONLY CHILDREN LIKE DENNIS AND STANLEY, WHO WERE ON THE HUNT FOR CANDY, BUT THE MANY HUSBANDS AND FATHERS, WHO HAD GONE DOWN TO HELP UNLOAD THE SHIP, INCLUDING DANNY'S NEAREST NEIGHBOR, ROSS McCOY, BUCKY'S STEPFATHER.

DANNY: THESE WERE THE HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS IN VALDEZ.

THEY WERE THE DADS, AND THEY WERE UNLOADING THE SHIP.

YOU SAW MR. McCOY DOWN AT THE HARBOR?

YES, HE WAS RUNNING A FORKLIFT THAT DAY.

THIS IS A LIST OF THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT DIED HERE.

I KNEW JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM.

THEY WERE...FRIENDS, ACQUAINTANCES.

THEY WERE...

THE DADS OF OTHER FRIENDS.

SO HERE WE HAVE 4 STUARTS THAT DIED, AND ONE WAS THE DAD, AND 3 WERE THE CHILDREN.

CURRY: IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, VALDEZ HAD BEEN DECIMATED, BUT FOR 12-YEAR-OLD DANNY, IT WASN'T JUST THE TOWN HE LOST.

MY FRIENDS ARE HERE, TOO.

DENNIS CUNNINGHAM, STANLEY KNUTSEN.

AND BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ME.

DANNY: THERE WAS NO REASON TO GO HOME, OTHER THAN I DID.

THE THOUGHT CAME TO MY HEAD AND I WALKED HOME, AND THAT SAVED MY LIFE.

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, AND IT'S JUST KIND OF A REMINDER THAT I HAVE THAT KEEPS ME HUMBLE.

CURRY: BY 5:41 THAT EVENING, THE GREAT ALASKAN EARTHQUAKE HAD FINALLY SUBSIDED, BUT THE HORROR WAS TO CONTINUE.

OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS, THE ENTIRE REGION FACED MULTIPLE AFTERSHOCKS AND A CHAIN OF TSUNAMIS.

THE LARGEST, A TERRIFYING 220 FEET HIGH, ROLLED ALONG THE ENTIRE COAST AS FAR SOUTH AS CALIFORNIA, SENDING THE DEATH TOLL EVEN HIGHER.

IN DANNY'S HOMETOWN OF VALDEZ, OIL TANKS RUPTURED AND CAUGHT FIRE, FLAMES QUICKLY LEAPING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.

CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF THE NATURAL DISASTER, IT WAS A MIRACLE ONLY 131 LIVES WERE LOST.

BUT THE DAMAGE WAS WIDESPREAD.

TV NEWS ANCHORMAN: IN OTHER RESIDENTIAL SECTIONS OUTSIDE THE MAIN DOWNTOWN AREA, GIGANTIC CRACKS IN THE EARTH GIVE DRAMATIC PROOF OF GOVERNOR WILLIAM EGAN'S INITIAL ESTIMATE OF TOTAL DAMAGE RUNNING TO A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

CURRY: THE EQUIVALENT OF $2.3 BILLION TODAY.

ACROSS ALASKA, MARTIAL LAW WAS DECLARED, AND TROOPS MOVED IN TO HELP WITH THE RELIEF EFFORT.

ANCHORMAN: THE DEVASTATION STILL UNBELIEVABLE, EVEN TO ALASKANS.

WHAT IS LEFT OF THE 4-STORY J.C. PENNEY STORE ON ANCHORAGE'S 4th AVENUE IS BEING TORN DOWN AS THE HUGE RECONSTRUCTION JOB BEGINS.

CURRY: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAD LOST THEIR HOMES, WHOLE STREETS AND ROWS OF HOUSES DEVASTATED.

THE WORST-AFFECTED AREAS WERE EVACUATED, MICHELLE'S NEIGHBORHOOD OF TURNAGAIN AMONG THEM.

CURRY: I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST 7 YEARS OLD AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS DEVASTATION, AND I'M SURE MAKING SENSE OF IT WAS REALLY HARD.

OUR LIVES HAD JUST...

CHANGED...DRAMATICALLY.

THE DESTRUCTION IN TURNAGAIN WAS SO SIGNIFICANT.

THERE WERE TWO STREETS FULL OF HOMES THAT NO LONGER EXISTED.

CURRY: MICHELLE, GRETCHEN, AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.

WITHIN HOURS, THEIR FRIENDSHIP HAD BEEN ABRUPTLY TORN APART.

THIS IS A LINE OF ALL MY GIRLFRIENDS AT MY 7th BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND WE'RE ACTING LIKE TYPICAL 7-YEAR-OLDS.

HA HA!

THERE SHE IS.

THERE'S GRETCHEN.

GETTING OUR PARTY HATS ON AND... GRETCHEN WAS MY GOOD FRIEND... AND IT'S LIKE GRETCHEN JUST DISAPPEARED.

I SO WANT TO FIND OUT HOW SHE IS DOING AND IF HER PARENTS ARE STILL ALIVE.

I WANT TO THANK HER MOM FOR PROTECTING ME DURING THAT... HORRIFIC, LIFE-CHANGING EVENT.

[SNIFFLES] CURRY: LIKE AREAS OF TURNAGAIN, VALDEZ HAD TO BE EVACUATED.

THE DAMAGE FROM THE LETHAL COMBINATION OF EARTHQUAKE, TSUNAMI, AND FIRE WAS SO EXTENSIVE, THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF ANYONE EVER RETURNING.

DANNY, LIKE HIS NEIGHBOR BUCKY, HAD TO COPE WITH THE DISTRESS OF NOT JUST LOSING FRIENDS IN THE TRAGEDY, BUT ALSO LEAVING AN ENTIRE LIFE BEHIND.

DANNY: AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, THE TOWNSPEOPLE OF VALDEZ SCATTERED.

MANY OF MY FRIENDS JUST-- I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM SINCE.

IT WAS LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH WAS FLIPPED.

ONE MOMENT, I WAS HERE IN VALDEZ WITH MY FRIENDS; THE NEXT MOMENT, I WAS IN A STRANGE PLACE WHERE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY STARTING OVER, BEGINNING A NEW LIFE, A NEW CHAPTER.

YOU KNOW, I NEVER GOT TO SAY GOOD-BYE.

DANNY: WELL, I LOST FINISHING GROWING UP WITH MY FRIENDS, IS WHAT I REALLY LOST.

CURRY: SINCE THE DEATHS OF HIS FRIENDS DENNIS AND STANLEY, DANNY HAS SPENT YEARS COPING WITH SURVIVOR'S GUILT ALONE.

CURRY: DID YOU EVER TALK TO ANYBODY, A THERAPIST OR SOMEBODY, TO HELP YOU DEAL WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO YOU?

HEY, WE'RE TOUGH ALASKANS.

WE... LEAVE THE THERAPY OUT OF THINGS.

MM-HMM.

SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW, AND WHY DO YOU WANT TO MEET PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE?

I JUST WANT TO SAY GOOD-BYE.

IN THE NEWSPAPER, THERE WERE NO OBITUARIES, SO THERE WAS NO PROCESS TO--FOR CLOSURE FOR ANYONE.

CURRY: IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT DANNY WENT THROUGH, IT'S HIS CLOSEST NEIGHBOR AND LITTLE LEAGUE FRIEND, BUCKY.

IF YOU COULD SEE ALL THESE KIDS, AND BUCKY INCLUDED, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SAY TO THEM?

IF WE COULD JUST START WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND TALK ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN AND... WHAT WE DID FOR LIFE FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

DO YOU THINK THAT TALKING TO BUCKY MIGHT HELP YOU FIND CLOSURE FOR DENNIS' AND STANLEY'S DEATH?

OH, I THINK SO, YEAH.

IF 54 YEARS LATER, I'M STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS AND-- AND SHEDDING TEARS AND-- IT'S JUST THE IMPACT OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAS ON PEOPLE.

THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH, AND WE NEED TO MOVE ON, BUT WE STILL NEED TO FIND OUR FRIENDS AND... AND KEEP THAT FRIENDSHIP GOING.

CURRY: LIKE DANNY, MICHELLE HAS NEVER ESCAPED THE TRAUMA OF THE EARTHQUAKE.

MICHELLE: TO THIS DAY, SINCE I STILL LIVE IN THE AREA AND CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT, WHEN THE HEADACHE CARGO JETS TAKE OFF FROM ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND I CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE VIBRATION... [JET ENGINE ROARS] MY HEART RACES A BIT FOR A MOMENT, THINKING, "IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE?"

CURRY: NOW, 54 YEARS LATER, MICHELLE IS DETERMINED TO FIND HER FRIEND, GRETCHEN.

HER SEARCH STARTS IN ANCHORAGE, WHERE SO MUCH OF THE DEVASTATION OCCURRED.

IN THE DAYS AFTER THE QUAKE, MICHELLE AND HER FATHER DROVE INTO THE CITY TO DOCUMENT THE DAMAGE.

THIS IS FILM FOOTAGE THAT MY DAD TOOK RIGHT AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, USING OUR FAMILY 8-MILLIMETER CAMERA.

WELL, LOOKING AT THESE THINGS NOW, IT BRINGS GOOSEBUMPS TO MY SKIN BECAUSE I KNOW I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY HAVE DIED IN THAT EARTHQUAKE.

CURRY: DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE HAD BEEN RIPPED APART BY THE SAME UNDERGROUND LANDSLIDES THAT HAD DESTROYED MUCH OF HER OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.

HOPING TO FIND GRETCHEN, MICHELLE HAS COME TO VISIT THE ARCHIVES OF THE LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ALL MICHELLE KNOWS IS THAT GRETCHEN MOVED AWAY FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OF TURNAGAIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE QUAKE IN 1964.

LIBRARIAN STACIA McGOURTY HAS BEEN LOOKING THROUGH SOME LOCAL 1960s NEWSPAPERS FOR LEADS.

STACIA: SO WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE ARE SOME NEWSPAPERS FROM RIGHT AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.... MICHELLE: OH, WOW.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE PENNEY'S BUILDING HERE.

YES, I REMEMBER THIS.

OH, MY GOSH.

THERE'S THE D&D CAFÉ AND BAR.

MM-HMM.

SCANDINAVIAN CLUB.

MAX PHOTO, KOZLOSKY'S.

MICHELLE: AND HERE'S THE TURNAGAIN HOME.

OH, DR. MARTIN'S HOME.

HE WAS ONE OF MY DOCTORS.

CURRY: IN THE YEARS BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE, TURNAGAIN WAS AN AFFLUENT SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT TOOK JUST 4 1/2 MINUTES TO REDUCE IT TO WRECKAGE.

75 HOMES HAD BEEN TOSSED HUNDREDS OF FEET.

TURNAGAIN WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE.

WHILE SHE KNEW THEIR ADDRESS IN TURNAGAIN, MICHELLE ONLY EVER KNEW GRETCHEN'S PARENTS AS MR. AND MRS. YOUNG.

WITH HALF A MILLION YOUNGS LIVING ACROSS THE U.S., SHE'S NEVER KNOWN WHERE TO START LOOKING.

SHE'S HOPING TO FIND SOMETHING TO NARROW THE SEARCH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE ARE CITY DIRECTORIES.

YEAH.

WHAT'S REALLY NICE ABOUT THESE DIRECTORIES IS, OBVIOUSLY, YOUR FRIEND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE DIRECTORY-- SHE WAS A SMALL CHILD-- BUT HER PARENTS WOULD BE.

YOU CAN LOOK UP SOMEONE'S ADDRESS AND SEE WHO WAS LIVING THERE AT THE TIME.

SO WE KNOW THAT YOUR FRIEND LIVED AT 2400 TURNAGAIN PARKWAY.

AND--ALL RIGHT, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, AT 2400 TURNAGAIN PARKWAY WAS WAYNE T. YOUNG, AND WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE BECAUSE HE APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY YOUNG ON TURNAGAIN PARKWAY.

SO NOW THAT WE KNOW HIS NAME, WE CAN GO TO THE ALPHABETICAL PORTION OF THE DIRECTORY... MM-HMM.

AND WE GO RIGHT TO THE YOUNGS, AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE A LOT MORE YOUNGS.

RIGHT.

BUT IF WE GO... YOU'VE GOT WAYNE T. DOROTHY!

AND DOROTHY WAS HIS WIFE.

AND YOU CAN SEE, HE WAS THE ASSISTANT CASHIER AT FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ANCHORAGE, AND IT GIVES THE HOUSE NUMBER.

OH, WOW!

IT CONFIRMS THE HOUSE NUMBER, TOO.

SO IT CONFIRMS THE HOUSE NUMBER, SO WE KNOW THAT WAYNE T. AND DOROTHY WERE HER PARENTS' NAMES, AND WE'VE GOT CONFIRMATION OF THE HOUSE NUMBER, SO WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE THE CORRECT PEOPLE.

INTERESTING.

MM-HMM.

CURRY: CONFIRMING THE NAMES OF GRETCHEN'S PARENTS ALLOWS MICHELLE TO UNCOVER MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THE FAMILY MOVED AFTER THE QUAKE.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE... IS AN APPLICATION FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE.

SO WITH THIS, WE KNOW THAT HER MOM, DOROTHY L. LEAF, APPLIED FOR MARRIAGE TO WAYNE THOMAS YOUNG IN 1955.

'55, OK. AND WE KNOW THAT HE IS FROM LYNDEN, WASHINGTON, AND SHE IS FROM BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

SHE'S 19, AND SHE WAS A STUDENT THEN.

RIGHT, SO IF SHE WAS 19 IN '54, SHE WAS PROBABLY BORN IN 1936, WHICH WOULD MAKE HER 81 OR 82 AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SO-- IF SHE'S STILL ALIVE.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

BUT WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS, SO IF THEY LEFT ANCHORAGE, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THEY MIGHT HAVE GONE SOMEWHERE THEY HAD FAMILY CONNECTIONS.

RIGHT.

AND IF THEY'RE BOTH FROM WASHINGTON, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE BOTH FROM THE SAME COUNTY IN WASHINGTON-- WHATCOM COUNTY-- THEN THAT WOULD BE A LOGICAL PLACE TO DO THE NEXT STEP OF YOUR SEARCH.

SEARCH, RIGHT.

CURRY: IT'S A GOOD START FOR MICHELLE, BUT THERE ARE 154 YOUNGS IN WASHINGTON STATE'S WHATCOM COUNTY PHONE BOOK, SO IT COULD STILL BE TOUGH FOR MICHELLE TO FIND GRETCHEN, AND SHE KNOWS TOO MUCH TIME MAY HAVE PASSED TO FIND GRETCHEN'S MOM.

MICHELLE: I HAVE TO BE REALISTIC.

GRETCHEN'S PARENTS MAY NOT BE WITH US ANYMORE, AND THAT WILL HURT ME BECAUSE I WANT SO DESPERATELY TO THANK HER MOM, BUT IT'S FULFILLING ENOUGH RIGHT NOW TO KNOW HER FULL NAME, AND THAT MAKES THE SEARCH TOTALLY WORTHWHILE AT THIS POINT.

HA HA!

I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE.

THIS IS JUST...AWESOME.

CURRY: IN DANNY'S SEARCH FOR FELLOW EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR AND CHILDHOOD FRIEND BUCKY, HE'S VISITING THE VALDEZ MUSEUM.

HI.

DANNY KENDALL.

HI, DANNY.

IT'S PATTI RELAY.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE AT THE VALDEZ MUSEUM.

CURRY: THE OLD TOWN OF VALDEZ MAY HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT BY THE QUAKE, BUT THE MUSEUM HAS A RARE MODEL OF HOW IT USED TO LOOK DURING DANNY'S CHILDHOOD.

THIS IS MY HOUSE HERE.

AWESOME.

CURRY: ORIGINALLY A GOLD RUSH SETTLEMENT, VALDEZ BEGAN LIFE AS A TENT CITY IN 1898.

BY 1910, IT WAS A PROSPEROUS AND GROWING TOWN, AND IN THE YEARS BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE, IT HAD BECOME A THRIVING COMMUNITY WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 500...

BUT VALDEZ'S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS SO CLOSE TO THE SHORE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS DOWNFALL.

BUILT ON SILT, THE GROUND SIMPLY SLIPPED AWAY WHEN THE MASSIVE TREMORS BEGAN.

THE ENTIRE TOWN WOULD EVENTUALLY BE RELOCATED TO HIGHER, MORE STABLE GROUND.

THE MUSEUM HOLDS NEWSPAPERS, JOURNALS, AND A PHOTO ARCHIVE OF MANY OF THE HOUSES AND BUILDINGS FROM THE OLD TOWN.

PATTI: THIS WAS YOUR HOUSE, YEAH?

DANNY: OK. YEAH, THAT WAS IT.

YEAH.

AND THAT WAS THE-- WE CALLED THAT--THAT WAS THE BACK DOOR, AND THE FRONT DOOR WAS RIGHT HERE.

RIGHT.

CURRY: JUST STEPS AWAY WAS BUCKY'S FAMILY HOME.

PATTI: SO YOU WERE OVER THERE A LOT, VISITING?

WE WERE OVER THERE PLAYING GAMES AND HAVING FUN, AND THEY'D COME TO OUR HOUSE AND HAVE FUN.

CURRY: IN THE MONTHS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, AS THE COMMUNITY SCATTERED ALL OVER THE U.S., PEOPLE TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

PATTI: AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, CITIZENS WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE.

WHAT WE FOUND IS A NEW LITTLE PUBLICATION, "THE VALDEZ EARTHQUAKE BUGLE."

THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS FROM TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1964.

IT'S AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE CHENA.

"I WAS IN THE DINING ROOM.

"I MADE IT TO THE BRIDGE, "3 DECKS UP, BY CLIMBING A VERTICAL LADDER.

"GOD KNOWS HOW I GOT THERE.

"THE VALDEZ PIER STARTED TO COLLAPSE RIGHT AWAY.

"THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS NOISE.

THE SHIP WAS LAYING OVER TO PORT."

HMM.

"I HAD BEEN IN AN EARTHQUAKE BEFORE, "BUT I KNEW RIGHT AWAY THIS WAS THE WORST ONE YET.

"THE CHENA RAISED ABOUT 30 FEET ON AN ONCOMING WAVE.

"THE WHOLE SHIP LIFTED "AND HEELED TO PORT ABOUT 50 DEGREES, "THEN IT SLAMMED DOWN HEAVILY ON THE SPOT WHERE THE DOCKS HAD DISINTEGRATED MOMENTS BEFORE."

"I SAW PEOPLE RUNNING WITH NO PLACE TO GO.

IT WAS JUST GHASTLY."

[PAPER RUSTLES] MMM.

AND A TRAGIC, TRAGIC MOMENT IN TIME.

CURRY: OTHER ARCHIVED PAPERS FROM THE TIME REVEAL A CLUE ABOUT WHERE BUCKY AND HIS FAMILY ENDED UP AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.

PATTI: "FAIRBANKS DAILY NEWS-MINER" FEATURED A COLUMN ENTITLED "THE VALDEZ VAGABONDS," AND THIS WAS APRIL 6, 1964, SO RIGHT AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.

"MRS. JEAN McCOY AND SANDRA, ROSSANE, "AND BUCKY LEFT APRIL 1 "BY ALASKA AIRLINES FOR SEATTLE "TO BE WITH JEAN'S SISTER.

"THEY MAY BE REACHED IN CARE OF STAN JONES, 2841 SOUTH OTHELLO STREET, SEATTLE."

AND WE WERE IN ANCHORAGE, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY GET THE FAIRBANKS PAPER.

NO.

OTHERWISE, WE'D HAVE SEEN THAT.

CURRY: DANNY'S HUNT FOR BUCKY CONTINUES.

WHILE HE WAS LIVING IN ANCHORAGE, BUCKY HAD MOVED 1,500 MILES AWAY TO SEATTLE, BUT DANNY STILL DOESN'T HAVE A CURRENT ADDRESS OR MEANS OF CONTACTING HIS FRIEND.

DANNY: IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO SEE HIM AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AND TO HEAR HIS STORY.

CURRY: WHILE DANNY PURSUES HIS NEW LEAD, MICHELLE IS TRAVELING FROM ANCHORAGE, ALASKA TO WASHINGTON STATE IN SEARCH OF GRETCHEN YOUNG AND HER MOTHER, DOROTHY, WHO SHELTERED HER THROUGH THE EARTHQUAKE.

AFTER FINDING OUT THAT GRETCHEN'S MOTHER WAS ORIGINALLY FROM BELLINGHAM IN WHATCOM COUNTY, MICHELLE IS FOLLOWING A HUNCH THAT THE FAMILY COULD HAVE RESETTLED THERE.

YOU MUST BE SUZANNE.

I AM.

MICHELLE?

YES, I AM MICHELLE.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

SUZANNE: WELL, I HAVE SOME INTERESTING ITEMS TO SHOW YOU, SO GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT.

CURRY: LIBRARIAN SUZANNE CARLSON-PRANDINI HAS DONE SOME DIGGING INTO STATE RECORDS.

BASED OFF OF WHAT YOU'VE SHARED WITH ME, IT SOUNDS LIKE GRETCHEN WOULD BE A SENIOR IN 1977 'CAUSE SHE WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN YOU.

MM-HMM.

AND SO I WENT AHEAD AND LOOKED AT THE BELLINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS AND SEE IF SHE SHOWED UP IN THEM, AND I THINK I FOUND SOMETHING THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU.

SO THE CONCERT CHOIR-- SHE WAS IN CONCERT CHOIR LIKE I WAS.

DOES THAT LOOK LIKE YOUR GRETCHEN?

[GASPS] YES!

THE HAIRSTYLE.

THAT'S--YES.

SO THERE ARE MORE.

HA HA!

YES!

THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A PICTURE OF GRETCHEN BEING A GYMNAST.

AND SHE'S ON THE BALANCE BEAM.

WE DID-- I DID THE BALANCE BEAM.

WOW.

HA!

AND EVEN BETTER, HER SENIOR PHOTO.

HER SENIOR PHOTO.

THERE SHE IS, RIGHT THERE.

THE BLONDE HAIR, THE SAME HAIRSTYLE.

THE FACIAL FEATURES.

THIS IS PHENOMENAL.

CURRY: FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, MICHELLE HAS ONLY KNOWN GRETCHEN AS A 5-YEAR-OLD.

NOW SHE HAS A PHOTO OF HER AS A TEENAGER AND PROOF SHE MOVED TO SEATTLE, BUT THESE PHOTOS ARE 40 YEARS OLD.

MICHELLE STILL HAS NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO GRETCHEN SINCE THEN, BUT SUZANNE HAS COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

I SEARCHED IN A DATABASE UNDER HER NAME AND THE FACT THAT SHE WAS HERE IN WHATCOM COUNTY, AND BASED OFF OF THAT, I WAS ABLE TO FIND THIS DOCUMENT.

THIS IS A CERTIFIED COPY.

THE WASHINGTON COUNTY AUDITOR HAS A SEAL ON THIS DOCUMENT, AND IT IS HER MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE.

[GASPS] YEAH.

OH, MY GOSH.

AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION HERE.

YES.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE SHE WAS MARRIED AUGUST 24th, YEAH, 1980.

"1980 AT 11 A.M., "WHATCOM, IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, "JOINED IN LAW-- LAWFUL WEDLOCK WITH JACOB...HUIZINGA"?

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS LAST NAME, SO I WAS GUESSING "HUIZINGA"?

SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

YEAH.

OK, NOW WE'VE GOT SOME REAL INFORMATION TO GO ON.

YES.

WHEW!

HA HA HA!

THAT'S BEEN MY ROADBLOCK... UH-HUH.

FOR YEARS, WAS SHE PROBABLY GOT MARRIED AND...LOSE TRACK OF HER WITH A MARRIED NAME.

YEAH.

CURRY: NOW THAT SHE'S FOUND GRETCHEN'S MARRIED NAME, SUZANNE CAN DO A MORE REFINED SEARCH ON HER DATABASE.

SUZANNE: AND LET'S SEE WHAT THE SEARCH PRODUCES HERE.

SO THERE'S ONLY ONE RESULT, AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS PARTICULAR GRETCHEN HUIZINGA RESIDES IN WOODINVILLE, WASHINGTON, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A CURRENT PHONE NUMBER OR NOT, BUT THE PHONE NUMBER IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.

MY HEART IS JUST GOING, "HA..." [CHUCKLES] THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUZANNE.

VERY WELCOME.

I--I'M JUST...

OVERWHELMED WITH EMOTION RIGHT NOW.

CERTAINLY, SHE'LL REMEMBER THE EARTHQUAKE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GOING TO REMEMBER ME.

UM...

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M JUST NERVOUS.

THIS IS--THIS IS A BIG MOMENT.

THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS AND YEARS OF WONDERING AND WANTING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PERSON.

[BEEPING] THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

[LINE RINGING] RECORDING: HEY, THIS IS GRETCHEN.

LEAVE A MESSAGE AND I'LL CALL YOU BACK.

[BEEP] HELLO.

MY NAME IS MICHELLE WILEY.

I'M FROM ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, AND I AM LOOKING FOR A GRETCHEN YOUNG THAT WAS BORN IN ANCHORAGE.

IF I'VE CONTACTED THE RIGHT PERSON, COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BYE-BYE.

[HANGS UP PHONE] AND NOW WE WAIT.

[SIGHS] THE WAITING IS HARD.

I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THAT.

A LOT OF WAITING.

A LOT OF YEARS.

A LOT OF YEARS.

WHEW.

CURRY: AS MICHELLE HOPES FOR GRETCHEN TO MAKE CONTACT, DANNY'S SEARCH CONTINUES.

HE'S HEADING SOUTH FOR THE WASHINGTON STATE ARCHIVES, ON THE TRAIL OF HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND, BUCKY.

LIBRARIAN KATHRYN DEVINE HAS BEEN RESEARCHING HIS STORY AND HAS FOUND AN ARTICLE QUOTING BUCKY'S MOM, WHO LOST HER HUSBAND IN THE EARTHQUAKE.

SO THIS IS FROM "THE SEATTLE TIMES," APRIL 3, 1964.

THIS SAYS, "MRS. ROSS McCOY OF VALDEZ, WHO FACED THE LOSS "OF HUSBAND, HOME, AND TOWN IN THE ALASKAN DISASTER, "DISPLAYED ONLY THE FAINTEST SIGNS OF EMOTION.

"'THE CHILDREN MUST GO TO SCHOOL, AND I DON'T KNOW YET 'JUST WHAT I WILL DO, BUT THERE'S NO USE "GOING AROUND IN HYSTERICS,' SHE SAID.

"'THAT ISN'T GOING TO HELP.'

"SHE AND HER CHILDREN ARE LIVING TEMPORARILY WITH HER SISTER, "MRS. STAN JONES, 2841 SOUTH OTHELLO STREET.

"MRS. McCOY PERMITTED HERSELF NO SELF-PITY.

"'SOMETHING OR SOMEONE LOOKED AFTER ME AND MY CHILDREN,' SHE SAID, 'AND I THINK I'M LUCKIER THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE.'"

SOUNDS LIKE A VERY STRONG WOMAN.

SHE IS A--SHE IS A GOOD WOMAN.

CURRY: AFTER THE McCOYS LOST BUCKY'S STEPFATHER, ROSS, TO THE QUAKE, THEY WERE FORCED TO LEAVE TOWN.

DANNY HASN'T SEEN BUCKY OR THE McCOY FAMILY SINCE.

PEOPLE LEFT IN A HURRY.

WE LEFT-- WE WERE THERE THE NEXT DAY AND LEFT TOWN AND-- AND NEVER REALLY CAME BACK, SO...

I...OK, PERSONALLY, DANNY KENDALL, NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO ANYBODY, AND THE McCOYS WERE IN SEATTLE WITHIN A WEEK OR SO.

IT--IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE MOMENTS ARE THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO CRY ABOUT IT.

YEAH.

CURRY: IN HER SEARCH, KATHRYN HAS FOUND MORE INFORMATION ON BUCKY, WHOSE REAL NAME IS RUDY SVIEN.

I WAS ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING YOU MIGHT FIND INTERESTING.

THE MOTHER'S NAME WAS JEAN McCOY?

MM-HMM.

WE FOUND HER OBITUARY.

SHE PASSED AWAY IN 2002... OH.

UM, IN ALASKA, AND THEN HERE SAYS SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND RED, SON RUDY SVIEN... MM-HMM.

DAUGHTERS SANDEE CHAPMAN AND ROSSANE ANTILLA.

AND, IN FACT, WE HAVE A SEATTLE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY FROM 2011.

IF YOU...CAN SEE...

THERE IS RUDY... OH!

RIGHT THERE IN 2011, STILL IN SEATTLE.

OOH, MY.

DID YOU CALL THE NUMBER?

I DIDN'T.

I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU.

HA HA HA!

LEAVE THAT UP TO ME?

OK. YEAH.

CURRY: KATHRYN HAS FOUND A DIRECT PHONE NUMBER IN SEATTLE.

IT'S THE FINAL CLUE DANNY'S BEEN LOOKING FOR.

NOW HE COULD BE ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY FROM REACHING THE FRIEND HE LOST SO LONG AGO.

FOR YEARS, MICHELLE WILEY HAS BEEN SEARCHING FOR HER CHILDHOOD FRIEND, GRETCHEN YOUNG, WHO WAS WITH HER ON THE DAY OF THE GREAT ALASKAN EARTHQUAKE.

CURRY: DO YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU SAW GRETCHEN OR HEARD FROM HER?

THE LAST TIME I SAW GRETCHEN WAS AFTER THE BIG EARTHQUAKE AND LEAVING HER HOUSE.

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID TO HER?

DID YOU SAY GOOD-BYE?

DID YOU THANK HER MOTHER?

I DON'T REMEMBER A THING.

SHOCK, I GUESS.

SO YOUR WHOLE LIFE CHANGED ON THAT DAY, THE CHILDHOOD YOU DESCRIBED EARLIER.

GONE...GONE.

THE INNOCENCE... OF BEING A CHILD DISAPPEARED.

CURRY: AFTER LEAVING GRETCHEN A MESSAGE, MICHELLE HAS BEEN ANXIOUSLY AWAITING A CALL BACK.

[CELL PHONE RINGING] HELLO?

WOMAN: MICHELLE WILEY.

OH, MY GOD.

HEH HEH!

IT'S BEEN-- I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY HOW MANY YEARS IT'S BEEN.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU FOREVER.

AMAZING.

I REMEMBER VIVIDLY BEING DOWNSTAIRS, WATCHING TV WITH YOU, AND EVERYTHING GOING DARK AND EVERYTHING SHAKING, AND THEN US RUNNING UPSTAIRS, AND THAT'S INSANE.

LET'S CATCH UP.

I WANT TO SEE YOU.

AS I MIGHT HAVE SAID WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, "WANT TO COME OVER?"

OH, MY GOD!

YES!

AND YOU'LL CATCH ME UP ON YOUR LIFE, I HOPE.

OH, YES, I WILL.

I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.

OK. THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL, HONEY.

ALL RIGHT.

BYE.

OK. BYE-BYE.

[BEEP] [SIGHS] CURRY: FOR MICHELLE WILEY, THE WAITING IS ALMOST OVER.

HAVING TRACKED DOWN AND MADE CONTACT WITH GRETCHEN YOUNG, AT LAST MICHELLE IS GOING TO MEET HER LONG-LOST FRIEND.

54 YEARS OF WONDERING AND PRAYING AND... SEARCHING.

TO BE ABLE TO SEE HER AGAIN IS GOING TO BE A VERY EMOTIONAL THING FOR ME.

WOMAN: THERE SHE IS.

MICHELLE?

[BREATHLESSLY] GRETCHEN.

[CHUCKLING] OH!

SWEETHEART.

OH, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU FOR 54 YEARS.

WANT TO COME INTO MY HOUSE?

YES!

OH, MY GOSH!

CURRY: BUT THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE WAITING TO SEE HER, TOO.

MRS. YOUNG?

MICHELLE.

HOW BEAUTIFUL TO SEE YOU.

OH!

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

YOU WERE AS A CHILD, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY LOVELY.

THANK YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

[SOBS] CURRY: IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD FOR MICHELLE TO FIND GRETCHEN, WHO MARRIED, MOVED TO SEATTLE, AND HAS A DAUGHTER OF HER OWN.

MICHELLE: DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY GRETCHEN YOUNGS THERE ARE IN THIS WORLD?

ARE THERE, REALLY?

YEAH, I--I STOPPED BEING GRETCHEN YOUNG IN 1980...

I DISCOVERED THAT.

SO--YES.

WHEN YOU LEFT ANCHORAGE, DID YOU COME TO WASHINGTON?

YEAH, WE DID.

WE LEFT THAT WEEKEND.

I MEAN, THE EARTHQUAKE WAS ON FRIDAY, AND THEN, BECAUSE WE HAD NO AMENITIES IN OUR HOME FOR 3 SMALL CHILDREN, IT WAS PRETTY BLEAK, SO I CAME DOWN HERE AND LIVED WITH IN-LAWS AND MY PARENTS.

CURRY: DURING THE QUAKE, GRETCHEN'S MOTHER DOROTHY HAD HER OWN 3 CHILDREN AND MICHELLE IN HER CARE.

IN THE MIDST OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST CATASTROPHES IN HISTORY, DOROTHY YOUNG PROTECTED THEM ALL.

MICHELLE: AND I REMEMBER MEETING YOU AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS.

WE WERE AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, YES.

INDEED WE WERE, AND THERE WE STAYED BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO STAY-- IN A DOORWAY.

RIGHT.

IN A DOORWAY.

AND THEN IT WAS JUST THE GROUP OF US.

YOUR ARMS WERE ALREADY OPEN.

WELL, I--I DO REMEMBER THAT QUITE DISTINCTLY BECAUSE I JUST FELT LIKE I COULDN'T PICK YOU ALL UP AND TAKE YOU ANYPLACE...

RIGHT, RIGHT.

BUT I COULD SURROUND YOU WITH MY ADULT ARMS.

AND WE WERE ALL ON THE FLOOR, WEREN'T WE?

WE WERE ALL ON THE FLOOR.

SORT OF LIKE A MOTHER HEN, THE WINGS AROUND.

THAT'S WHAT IT FELT LIKE.

RIGHT.

A MOTHER HEN SPREADS HER WINGS AND--AND SCOOPS THE BABY CHICKS UNDER, AND THAT'S JUST HOW IT FELT.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I REMEMBER IT AS BEING.

RIGHT.

I WAS SO GRATEFUL THAT THE HOUSE WAS STILL STANDING AROUND US, BUT I KNEW IT WAS BIG, AND I KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST DIDN'T EXPERIENCE VERY OFTEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF I THOUGHT MOTHER HEN AT THE TIME.

I JUST KNEW THAT I HAD TO HOLD YOU ALL.

I FELT SO SAFE... AND PROTECTED IN YOUR ARMS.

YOU ARE SO WELCOME.

I COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING BUT WHAT I DID.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO IN AN EARTHQUAKE?

BUT IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE MICHELLE.

SHE WAS A SWEET LITTLE GIRL.

GRETCHEN: I REMEMBER HER LITERALLY HAVING HER ARMS AROUND US, AND THOSE WINGS ARE LOVE.

THAT'S GOING TO MAKE ME CRY BECAUSE...THAT'S WHO SHE IS.

AND I--I SUSPECT MICHELLE FELT THAT AS WELL.

I MEAN, WE GREW UP WITH HER.

THAT LOVE IS--THAT'S THE WINGS.

THAT'S THE ARMS.

THAT'S THE PROTECTION.

MICHELLE: I THANK THE DEAR LORD FOR ALLOWING THIS DAY TO HAPPEN.

HER MOM IS ALIVE AND WELL, AND I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO TELL HER, "THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF ME."

CURRY: IN SEATTLE, DANNY KENDALL IS ALSO ON THE FINAL STEPS OF HIS SEARCH FOR HIS LONG-LOST CHILDHOOD FRIEND AND FELLOW SURVIVOR OF THE ALASKAN EARTHQUAKE.

HOW DID BUCKY GET HIS NICKNAME?

WHAT WAS HIS REAL NAME?

HIS REAL NAME WAS RUDOLPH, SO WE HAVE RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER.

GREAT BUCK, YOU KNOW?

[CHUCKLING] OH, HA HA!

I SEE.

CURRY: MORE THAN 50 YEARS AFTER HE WAS RIPPED APART FROM EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE HE KNEW IN VALDEZ, DANNY'S ABOUT TO RECONNECT WITH THE ONE PERSON WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE WENT THROUGH.

DANNY: I--I FEEL EXCITED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW.

SOMEONE I HAVEN'T SEEN IN SUCH A LONG TIME.

I'M GONNA SAY, "HI, BUCKY" AND GIVE HIM A BIG HUG.

THEN I'M GONNA LOOK FOR HIS BIG EARS, SEE IF HE STILL HAS THEM.

CURRY: DANNY HAS BEEN CARRYING HIS EARTHQUAKE TRAUMA SINCE HE WAS JUST 12 YEARS OLD, THE FEELINGS OF SURVIVOR'S GUILT AND NO ONE WITH WHOM HE COULD SHARE HIS EXPERIENCE.

NOW DANNY FINALLY HAS SOMEONE HE CAN TALK TO, BUT HE ALSO KNOWS OPENING UP THE OLD WOUNDS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH.

IS THIS REALLY BUCKY?

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.

HO HO!

WOW.

HA HA!

WOW.

HEY, MAN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HI.

HO HO!

WOW.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

DAMN.

SIT DOWN HERE.

SAVED YOU A SPOT.

THAT'S GREAT.

[GRUNTS] WOW.

YOU LOOK THE SAME.

HA HA!

OH, YEAH.

YOU DO.

CURRY: AFTER THE QUAKE, BUCKY AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO SEATTLE, WHERE HE HAS LIVED AND WORKED EVER SINCE.

HE AND DANNY HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER SINCE THEY PLAYED TOGETHER ON THE VALDEZ LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM.

THERE'S YOU, THE GUY WITH THE EARS RIGHT THERE.

HA HA HA!

THERE HE IS, AND THERE'S ME.

I WAS JUST A LITTLE GUY.

YOU KNOW, THESE WERE OUR HAPPY DAYS BACK THEN.

YEP.

OUR LITTLE LEAGUE PICTURES REALLY SHOW US HOW CLOSE WE WERE IN THAT TOWN.

I MEAN, YOU WERE A COUPLE YEARS OLDER THAN ME, BUT STILL, I MEAN, YOU WERE MY FRIEND, OUR FAMILIES WERE FRIENDS, AND WE COULD WALK AROUND TOWN, AND EVERYBODY-- ALL THE DADS AND MOMS WOULD KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE AND TELL US TO GO HOME WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO AND THAT KIND OF THING.

AND PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE, AND THEN...

SUDDENLY IT ENDED.

IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID.

JUST, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU--YOU GO FROM ONE LIFE INTO ANOTHER LIFE, AND... YOU KNOW, THE... VALDEZ WAS JUST...GONE.

CURRY: BUT THEY ALSO REMEMBER THE PEOPLE THEY GREW UP WITH AND LOST, INCLUDING FRIENDS DENNIS AND STANLEY.

DANNY: DENNIS CUNNINGHAM AND STANLEY KNUTSEN AND I WERE DOWN ON THE SHIP.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SHIP COMES IN, IT WAS TIME TO GO WATCH AND HAVE FUN, BEING OF INTEREST, AND...AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I SAW THEM HEADING TOWARD THE DOCKS, AND I WENT DOWN AND TAGGED ALONG WITH THEM.

THEY HAD STOPPED AT MY HOUSE AND ASKED IF I COULD GO DOWN THERE, BUT-- THEY DID?

YEAH.

OH, REMARKABLE.

WELL, IT WAS JUST MOM AND I WHO WERE AT HOME AT OUR HOUSE, UM, AND I HAD THE MUMPS.

DENNIS AND STANLEY HAD COME BY AND, YOU KNOW, ASKED IF I COULD GO, AND MOM SAID NO AND-- AND I'M SURE IF, YOU KNOW, IF I HADN'T HAVE BEEN SICK, I... WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE WITH THEM.

'COURSE, MAYBE I WOULD HAVE... SEEN YOU RUNNING OFF AND... MIGHT HAVE RUN OFF WITH ME.

"THERE'S DANNY.

I'LL GO FOLLOW HIM."

WHO KNOWS?

YEAH.

CURRY: FOR BUCKY, GRIEVING THE LOSS OF HIS STEPDAD, ROSS McCOY, WASN'T EASY.

HIS BODY WAS NEVER FOUND.

BUCKY: HERE IS ROSS'S... PRESUMPTIVE...

BOTH: DEATH CERTIFICATE.

DANNY: THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS "EARTHQUAKE AND RESULTING TIDAL ACTION."

I--I'M PROBABLY THE LAST LIVING PERSON TO SEE-- SEE ROSS, SEE YOUR DAD.

YEAH.

ALL I EVER HEARD WAS THAT THEY FOUND HIS TRUCK IN THE MOUTH OF A RIVER.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEVER FOUND HIM.

CURRY: THE HISTORIC EARTHQUAKE DESTROYED COMMUNITIES AND TOOK LIVES, AND IS STILL AFFECTING THE REMAINING SURVIVORS, PEOPLE LIKE DANNY AND BUCKY.

WE NEVER SAT DOWN AND TALKED ABOUT OUR STORIES, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

ALL THESE YEARS, I WANTED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THIS WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.

OH, AND GOING BACK TO THE TOWN, AND THERE WAS NO TOWN THERE, THAT WAS... SOMETHING.

YEAH, I'D AVOIDED THE WATER FOR...

I THINK, GOING BACK THE FIRST TIME, WHEN THERE-- LIKE I SAID, WHEN THERE WAS NO TOWN ANYMORE, THAT WAS HARD TO TAKE.

IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE HOME AGAIN, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK UP THERE.

CURRY: ONE CATASTROPHIC TRAGEDY FROM DECADES AGO LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THESE PEOPLE.

NOW THAT THEY ARE REUNITED, THEY CAN FIND NEW WAYS TO HEAL TOGETHER.

MICHELLE: EVERYTHING THAT I HOPED IT WOULD BE.

EVERYTHING AND MORE.

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A NEW FAMILY.

I REALLY DO.

HERE I AM, PUTTING THIS GOOFY HAT-- GRETCHEN: OH, THERE YOU ARE.

THERE YOU ARE.

YEAH.

RIGHT THERE.

THERE'S NO FILM OF ME AT THAT AGE.

THIS IS IT.

DOROTHY: THIS IS IT.

YEAH.

THE BLONDE HEAD.

THAT IS YOU.

YOU LOOK SO TERRIBLY YOUNG, DON'T YOU?

I DID.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND ME AND MY GOOFY GRIN.

LOOK AT YOU.

I JUST-- I REMEMBER YOU FROM THEN.

MICHELLE: I HOPE THAT IT BRINGS BACK...SOME HAPPY MEMORIES.

DOROTHY: OH, WONDERFUL, HAPPY MEMORIES.

IT'S PIECES OF CHILDHOOD... YEAH.

THAT I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF FOR YEARS.

REALLY.

THIS IS SO AWESOME.

GRETCHEN: I KNOW.

DOROTHY: IT'S GREAT.

BUCKY: SHOWED YOU HOW FAST THINGS CAN END AND, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO... SURVIVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT WAS GOOD TO GET--GET SOME OF IT OUT, I THINK.

MEMORIES THAT YOU KIND OF BURY BACK THERE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT TOO OFTEN.

EMOTIONAL, BUT GOOD.

DANNY: TODAY, WE FINALLY GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE, AND BUCKY AND I SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME EMOTION ABOUT TELLING OUR STORIES AND-- AND THE IMPACT IT'S HAD ON US.

YOU KNOW, JUST TO TALK ABOUT...VALDEZ AS A BOY, VALDEZ AS A COMMUNITY, AS-- AS A FAMILY, REALLY, AND IT JUST...

IT ALMOST BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES.

- [ANN] NEXT TIME.

IN THE MIDST OF THE KOREAN WAR A YOUNG MARINE THROWN INTO THE CHAOS OF BATTLE.

- WE REALIZED WE WERE IN THE WAR AND EVERYBODY'S SCARED.

- [ANN] NOW HOPES TO FIND HIS HEROES.

- THEY WOULD NOT THINK OF THEMSELVES AS A HERO BUT I'LL TELL YA, I THINK OF IT.

- [ANN] AND A NAVAL MEDICAL CORPS MAN SEARCHING FOR THE BEST FRIEND WHO HELPED HIM SURVIVE.

- ANYTIME THAT I NEEDED ANYTHING HE WAS THERE.

(INSPIRING MUSIC) ANNOUNCER: TO ORDER "WE'LL MEET AGAIN" ON DVD, VISIT SHOP PBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.

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SHARE YOUR STORY AT PBS.ORG/MEETAGAIN.