A once in a life time opportunity.
That's how an ironworker from Brights Grove, Ontario is describing his time working on the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Jason Huggett is a second-generation ironworker and is the Canadian worker who posed for the 'handshake photo' last Friday morning on the beam of the bridge deck for the last segment connecting the two sides.
Speaking on AM800's The Morning Drive, Huggett says he's been an ironworker for 20-years and has been working on the bridge for the past two years.
He says working on the bridges means a lot to him, as his father worked on the Bluewater Bridge.
Huggett says travels all over Canada for work and chases the big jobs.
He says he enjoys making memories.
"This project is one in a life time," he says. "It is the biggest main span in all of North America. My old man was an ironworker Robin Huggett and he actually did the Bluewater Bridge so for me to get a chance to do this bridge really means a lot to me."
Huggett says taking the photo was a special moment especially being around Father's Day.
"My two boys too when I went home, asked me dad is that you, yes boys that's dad up there," says Huggett. "Just the look on their face, it was almost like Christmas when they were surprised again."
He says he has copies of the historic photo.
"I have a couple of those pictures, nothing is framed yet but it will be up on the wall eventually," he says.
As AM800 news reported on Friday, permanent steel girders were installed to connect both sides of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
The work to connect both sides of the bridge includes additional bracings before the final slab is put in place, which is expected by the end of June.
All of the cables are in place, but some adjustments will be made once the final bridge deck connections are finalized.
The bridge is expected to open in the fall of 2025.