After Deadly Blast, Minnehaha Academy Community Gathers For Unity March

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Together we rise.

That was the message during a unity walk at Minnehaha Academy Tuesday night.

Hundreds gathered to remember and to move forward together.

A massive gas explosion on Aug. 2 in the Upper School building killed longtime receptionist Ruth Berg and custodian John Carlson.

Bryan Duffey, an assistant boys soccer coach, was critically injured in the explosion, and had to have his leg amputated.

His wife announced on his CaringBridge page Tuesday that he has made progress and will soon move into patient rehab.

"Bryan continues to improve every day," she wrote. "I have no doubt that all of the many prayers have helped him through this."

School officials say the community has been praying for Duffery.

"He is a strong guy," said Minnehaha Academy President Donna Harris. "It looks like he following doctors' order, and he's recovering ... we are just thankful for that."

The tragedy touched so many more. Students, parents, educators, alumni and first responders all walked together in an effort to heal.

The gathering outside Minnehaha Academy's Upper School brought together a community united in grief with the belief moving forward together is the only way how.

"We remember John and Ruth and the joy they brought to our school community. We pray for the walking wounded among us who still bear the trauma of this event," Harris said.

She also thanked first responders before seniors led the group to the Lower and Middle school.

"People need to grieve together and be together and just talk about it, process it," said former student John Roth. "They're strong, they're loyal and just, you know, we can get through anything."

People talked, laughed and reflected during the mile-and-a-half walk.

"We're here for our faith and the school is strong and that is the important thing for my family," said parent Tiffany Anderson. "God will get us through this ... this is what this community is about."

Everyone stepped through an arch at the finish, a place to greet one another again on the other side.

Harris acknowledged heroes among them, like employee Mary Kate Fretheim, who warned others before worrying about herself.

"To really say for us as a community and the area, too, that ... good can come out of bad," Fretheim said.

And then the flag raised to signify moving on, stronger together.

"Small steps and it's a long road ahead, but we look forward to what is yet to come," Fretheim said.

School starts in three weeks. Minnehaha Academy will announce the temporary location for classes when it is finalized, likely sometime this week.