Acknowledgments
I never met Billy Juse or Tim Nordeen. But in the last five years, I feel as though I’ve spent untold hours in their presence. I’m grateful that they made such good companions. These were not just brave and honorable men, but bright and funny guys, too.
I’m fortunate that their family and friends turned out to be such warm individuals whose company I enjoyed greatly, and whose trust I was honored to earn. I’m indebted to Tim’s wife, Judy, his parents, Bob and Shirley, and his brother, Todd, as well as Billy’s partner, Michelle, his parents, Olga and Bill, his sister, Jolene, and his close friends Deb and Ken Jones. Wonderful people, all of them.
This book would not have been possible without the cooperation and candor of DJ Gillis, Donald “Hoss” Hosford, and Dave Riggs. These three remarkable men welcomed me into their lives and, across hundreds of hours of interviews, allowed me into the recesses of their minds. I know some of the wrenching memories described in the preceding pages are ones they would have preferred to have left alone. But I’m enormously grateful that they trusted me to tell this story, and that they intuitively understood the importance of telling it completely and honestly. I learned so much from each of them.
Their families also played critical roles in my understanding of this project and the personal toll it exacted. DJ’s mother, Lorraine Jones, is one of those special people who, within a few minutes of meeting her, feels as familiar as a childhood friend. I appreciate all the stories she told me—and all the tea she served me. Thanks also to DJ’s brother, David, his aunt Ann Maillet, and the pair of sisters who played important roles in his life, Dana and Lisa. I also benefited from the hospitality and insights of Riggs’s former wife, Karen, and of Hoss’s former wives, Heather and Karolina.
Tap Taylor, whose life had for so long been intertwined with Billy’s, was giving of both his time and valuable perspective. It’s nice to see the bonds remain strong between him and Billy’s New Hampshire family, which also includes Thomas Wachsmuth. Deb, who met Billy shortly after losing her brother, once told me: “I always felt like God took my brother and gave me Billy. And then when Billy died, I always felt like God took Billy and gave me Tap.”
Roger Rouleau and his wife, Tawnie, welcomed me into their home, even though he made clear his initial reluctance. It’s worth noting how remarkably close Roger has become with Tim’s parents in the years since the accident. Roger began by dutifully calling them once a week and sending them cards for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Bob and Shirley told me they could sense in Roger a need to atone for whatever responsibility he had in Tim’s death. Bob described Roger’s thinking this way: I took your son, maybe I can somehow replace him. Even if Roger’s attentiveness began out of obligation and remorse, a genuine friendship developed. Bob and Shirley told me they now see Roger as a member of their extended family.
Many people played crucial roles in helping this book become a reality. At Crown, I’ve been fortunate to work with a wonderful team. I simply can’t heap enough praise on my world-class editor, Amanda Cook. She possesses a rare ability to sink deeply into a manuscript and emerge knowing precisely what needs to be done to improve it. Her intelligence, vision, conviction, and caring made this book profoundly better in so many ways. The lineup that the brilliant Maya Mavjee has assembled at Crown brims with talent. Special thanks to David Drake, Molly Stern, Jill Flaxman, Penny Simon, the indispensable Emma Berry, Min Lee, Domenica Alioto, Eric White, Annsley Rosner, Elina Nudelman, Jay Sones, Linnea Knollmueller, Mark McCauslin, Janet Biehl, Julie Cepler, Sarah Pekdemir, and Matthew Martin.
My agent, Sarah Chalfant, is an extraordinary advocate and by now a trusted friend. I leaned on her extensively for her wise counsel, impeccable judgment, and uncanny ability to see around corners. Thanks also to Andrew Wylie and everyone at the Wylie Agency who pitched in, notably Alba Ziegler-Bailey and Rebecca Nagel.
I owe a huge debt to the incomparable Stephanie Vallejo, who served as my fact-checker, transcriber, research assistant, and effectively my left brain on this project. Her commitment was astounding, and her contributions invaluable.
This book has its roots in the pages of The Boston Globe Magazine, where I’ve had the good fortune to write for more than a decade. The gifted editor of the magazine, Susanne Althoff, sharpened both my writing and thinking in the pair of articles I wrote about the tunnel accident. Doug Most, her predecessor who now oversees the paper’s special sections, provided important encouragement all along.
I’m particularly grateful for the crucial support I received from Marty Baron, who led the Globe to remarkable heights as top editor for nearly a dozen years, and to current editor Brian McGrory, who is taking it to new ones. Thanks to them and to publisher John Henry and CEO Mike Sheehan for their inspired leadership.
I benefited greatly from the talents of several colleagues and friends with whom I worked on those original stories, notably Suzanne Kreiter, Scott LaPierre, Josue Evilla, Barbara Pattison, John Burgess, Brendan Stephens, Ann Silvio, Greg Klee, Mary Zanor, Christine Makris, research guru and private eye nonpareil Lisa Tuite, and graphics star Javier Zarracina, who also created the illustrations for this book. Others provided key assists as I transitioned to book mode, including Ellen Clegg, Paula Nelson, Christine Chinlund, Francis Storrs, Veronica Chao, Janice Page, Wanda Joseph-Rollins, Stan Grossfeld, and Helen Morissette. I learned from the Globe’s earlier reporting on the harbor cleanup and tunnel project, especially from Scott Allen and Beth Daley. Also helpful was coverage from the industry bible Engineering News-Record as well as from the Boston Herald and the Quincy Patriot-Ledger. And thanks to my friend Tony Marcus, for all his jokes and encouragement from behind the counter of the Globe cafeteria.
My first draft of this manuscript was half again as long as the final product. Three accomplished friends from the creative world—Micheal Flaherty, Matt Bai, and BJ Roche—plowed through those bloated pages and offered shrewd advice for where I should aim the knife. Thanks for the inspiration from writer friends Mitch Zuckoff, Josh Wolk, Pete Chianca, and especially Michael Holley, who served as a sort of marathon training partner when we were both immersed in our own book projects. Michael kept checking in on me long after he had crossed the finish line.
When it came to understanding the complicated investigation into the diver deaths, I benefited enormously from several people who knew this case cold and were passionate and indefatigable in their pursuit of answers. Mary McCauley, Joan Parker, and Dan Kuhs were generous with their time and deep knowledge, and if they became annoyed by the volume of my follow-up questions, they never let on. I also appreciated the patient tutoring by Dr. Marie Knafelc, who schooled me in matters of diving, oxygen deprivation, and physiology. Thanks also for the work of others who helped sort out what caused the accident, notably John O’Leary, Pat Haggan, Kirk VanZandt, Jake Jacob, Maria-Lisa Abundo, and Elena Finizio.
Many divers and pile drivers shared their expertise, beginning with Ron Kozlowski, who periodically checked in from ports all over the world. Dave Woodman was Dan Kuhs’s full partner in Local 56’s push for accountability. Also helpful were Jerry Frongillo, Patrick Seiden, Tracy Markham, Jim Clark, Jay Brinton, and John C. Roat.
For the diffuser riser installation project, Dave Beck, with his encyclopedic knowledge of the job, was a font of information. I’m grateful for all the time and insights that Ricky Spears’s widow, Cathy, gave me, as well as the help of his brother Joe Maloney and former colleague Greg Kolacz.