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At around 9pm on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, a pedestrian walking along the south

walkway of the George Washington Bridge came across an abandoned wallet and cell phone.

The towering double-decked suspension bridge spans the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee

in New Jersey with New York City's Washington Heights.

With 14 lanes of traffic across both levels, it is a vital artery in the region's

transport network and holds the distinction of being the busiest

motor vehicle crossing in the world. Narrow walkways for pedestrians and cyclists flank the upper

deck, with a full crossing on foot taking about 20 minutes. In 2010, only the south walkway

was open. The north side had remained closed since the

September 11 terrorist attacks nearly a decade earlier. The discovery of the wallet and

cell phone near the midpoint of the George Washington Bridge was reported to the authorities.

Inside the wallet was a driver's license and a Rutgers University ID card belonging to an

18-year-old named Tyler Clementi.

Tyler himself was going to be. Authorities contacted Tyler's parents, Joe and Jane Clementi.

...