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"There's no way it's any of their faults that they got injured," he said. "The only question is: How much money do they deserve?"

Survivor Amy Lindholm, a medical assistant who landed on the center span and helped treat other survivors while they waited to be rescued, said she also plans to write a letter and agrees with much in Brown's e-mail.

She said she's been able to work only part-time because of a back injury, and is having trouble paying bills.

Charities have helped her this month, she said, but she worries about the future.

"It's really upsetting to all of us, because they're moving onto this new bridge and they really haven't helped us," she said.

'Fix this'

Brown said in an interview Thursday evening that she wants leaders to set aside blame and help people simply because they need it.

She said she wants survivors to recoup what they're losing because of the collapse.

"I want these innocent people ... taken care of by the entities that were in charge, or partially in charge, of that bridge," she wrote in her letter. "And not just today, but months and years from now.

"It's time to slow down and back up," she wrote. "Your new bridge is going up too fast. You still have a huge mess from the old one. Fix this."

Pam Louwagie • 612-673-7102

Pam Louwagie • plouwagie@startribune.com