Kelly Sullivan said she spent all day Thursday in a daze upon learning of the precarious condition of the USS The Sullivans docked in the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park.
The World War II era Navy destroyer is extremely important to her family. It was named in tribute to the five Sullivan brothers who perished along with over 680 other sailors aboard the USS Juneau nearly 80 years ago after it was struck by a Japanese torpedo in the Pacific Ocean.
Sullivan, a third-grade teacher in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and a granddaughter of the only married Sullivan brother, was apprised early Thursday by contacts in Buffalo that the vessel was leaning on its side and sinking in shallow waters in the Buffalo Inner Harbor after taking in 3 million gallons of water.
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"I've had tons, literally hundreds, of messages from people all day," she said. "That ship is extremely special to a lot of people."
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The 1943 destroyer was built with a thin hull for speed and maneuverability, but it was never meant to float for so long. In recent years, the naval park has repaired small holes in the hull every spring. But harsh winter weather and the pandemic-related shutdown apparently hastened the damage to the ship, and water began seeping into the leaky hull more than a year ago, causing the ship to list to port.
"The holes that are in the ship ... those have been in there for quite a while, and I've known about that," said Sullivan.
Still, she was not prepared for what eventually happened to the ship on Thursday.
"The naval park does a wonderful job of keeping the Sullivan family informed on what's happening, but then, last year, when it got really bad, that's when we started to raise the money for repairs," Sullivan said.
She made three trips to Buffalo last year for fundraisers that ultimately raised $1 million to make repairs to the ship and establish an endowment aimed at protecting the ship's legacy. Her most recent visit to Buffalo was a month ago to attend a fundraising event for the ship at Seneca One tower, owned by developer Douglas Jemal, who came forward with the initial $10,000 over a year ago as part of the Save The Sullivans campaign.
Sullivan said she was buoyed by hearing Paul Marzello, president and CEO of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, vow that the ship will be repaired and reopened to visitors.
"I am extremely confident in the people of the Buffalo naval park, and the people of Buffalo," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "I know that they will come together and help."
In the meantime, she said her heart is with those in Buffalo who are working to preserve the destroyer.
"I've got family coming for Easter, but the only thing I want to do right now is pack my bags and get on a plane and come out there," said Sullivan.
