as gary babineaux told me after the collapse. >> are people throwing the h-word at you, hero?yone, really, would do. in a time like that you've got to help the people that need it the most. >> reporter: during an investigation the ntsb cited a major design flaw in a plate that held sections of the bridge together as the cause of the collapse. the new bridge reopened a year later. and jeff had a hand in the construction. >> i worked on that project. worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week on that job until it was done. >> a little more than a year after the deadly bridge collapse in mihm, a new bridge opened today. >> reporter: today, all these years later, the gratitude of the survivors is palpable. >> our baby was born 15 days after the bridge collapse. and it turned out to be a boy. >> just the other day i was laughing uncontrollably. i was like, whoa. i haven't done that in a while. so life is very different. >> i think i've finally put the pieces back together. >> i'm so, so incredibly thankful that i'm here to see them and to be with them and to be there for them. it mad