WEST, Texas (KXXV) — A filmmaker is bringing the resilience and rebuilding efforts of our neighbors in West to the big screen for the Waco Film Festival, more than a decade after the deadly West explosion.
- The West Fertilizer Company exploded on April 17, 2013, killing 15 people and destroying entire neighborhoods
- Filmmaker Robert Fuller was inspired by the community and felt it was a story that needed to be told on the silver screen at the Waco Film Festival
- For marketing executive Megan Gilmore, the film is a reminder to the residents of West of how strong they are as a community
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"The entire wall of the bookshelf was falling down on the floor," said West resident Claire Muska.
That’s what Claire Muska remembers about the West explosion when she was just 12 years old.
“Every ceiling in our house had fallen through, installation was up to the waist. Our upstairs had fallen through into the garage," said Muska.
It's been almost 12 years since the fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company on April 17, 2013.
Now, Muska is working with Walker Partners, an organization that helped the city of West recover after their devastating incident. Walker Partners helped to produce a film created by Robert Fuller on the West explosion. It shows how the community banded together to rebuild West.
Fuller said it was a story he needed to share with others at the Waco Film Festival.
“They’re just resilient, just incredibly resilient people who just refused to give up. People in the community were helping to evacuate a nursing home and pushing these elders in wheelchairs across the town," said Fuller.
For marketing executive Megan Gilmore, the film is a reminder to the residents of West of how strong they are as a community.
“Building back the roads, getting their homes back in place. They worked really hard. It was such an honor to give this as a gift to them to not just see the tragedy but to see how far they’ve come," said Gilmore.
Muska has since moved away but said the people in her hometown will share a bond forever.
“To this day we are still missing the lives that we lost. But I think we can move forward into the future and realize that West is better now and this is a part of our story. It’s about moving into the future but not forgetting the past," said Muska.
