evansxtra11On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez ran aground off the coast of Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound.

The impact on wildlife was devastating—hundreds of thousands of marine animals died. Clean-up crews poured into the nearby port town, also called Valdez, where the first animal rescue center was established.

LJ Evans (right), who lived in Valdez, volunteered at the rescue center, where she met Suzanne Bishop (left).

They sat down for StoryCorps to remember the days following the spill.

Originally aired March 21, 2014, on NPR’s Morning Edition

Archival photo courtesy of LJ Evans