Last Funerals for Trapped Coal Miners Held
Funerals for the last two of the 12 miners who died last week in West Virginia’s worst coal-mining accident in more than 35 years were held Tuesday. The services for Fred Ware and Terry Helms were conducted in Tallmansville, W. Va. at the Sago Baptis
Funerals for the last two of the 12 miners who died last week in West Virginia’s worst coal-mining accident in more than 35 years were held Tuesday.
The services for Fred Ware and Terry Helms were conducted in Tallmansville, W. Va. at the Sago Baptist Church and Masontown, respectively.
Prayers resonated throughout the week as the other ten miners were buried on Sunday and Monday. The sole survivor of the underground explosion, Randal McCloy, Jr., 27, is said to be breathing on his own now.
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The Rev. Donald Butcher, pastor of Sand Run Baptist Church, spoke at the service for Jesse L. Jones, 44, on Sunday where about 200 mourners gathered at a funeral chapel near the mine, according to The New York Times.
"God gives us people who are heroes, and we don't even realize it," he said, as reported by the Times. "We got lots of coal miners here with us today. America is great because of this profession and because of men like Jesse, who put their lives on the line."
More than 100 people had joined on Sunday at Sago Baptist Church for a vigil. Days ahead of that, family members were in praise for the survival of the miners before hearing second reports on the deaths of all but one.
Recent reports show that the men inside the Sago Mine had tried to escape after the Jan. 2 explosion. According to the victims' family members, footprints were discovered, indicating the miners' attempt to force their way out. After failed attempts, however, the trapped miners were found more than 41 hours later, dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Although McCloy is still in critical condition, he is showing "a lot of brain activity," according to Dr. Julian Bailes. Prayers for his recovery continue to be said as he shows improvement.
