Simple gathering recalls Sago Mine disaster
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TALLMANSVILLE, W.Va. -- Relatives of the 12 men who died in the Sago Mine -- and the lone miner who survived the ordeal -- met outside Sago Baptist Church yesterday morning in a simple, informal gathering to remember their loved ones.
About 30 family members mingled in the parking lot, near the stone memorial to the miners, trading friendly greetings and comforting embraces. Some went into the church for a moment to pray.
Then they walked up the road, about a quarter of a mile, to hold a vigil at the mine entrance.
There, however, the simplicity of the impromptu assemblage became complicated, as officials with International Coal Group, owners of the Sago mine, denied the families access to the property. An ICG spokesman said the company was "not prepared" for the families and instead directed them to a stretch of chain-link fence where they could place the roses and ribbons that they had brought.
"They just plain out said no," said Dan Merideth, whose wife, Ann, lost her father, Jim Bennett, in the mine. "I don't understand. What's it gonna kill them to let us go up and pay our respects?"
"I don't think it's fair," said Sara Bailey, daughter of deceased miner George "Junior" Hamner. "I think they should have let us [onto the site]. It's sad."
"I thought they could have had a more sympathetic response," said Deb Hamner, Mr. Hamner's widow.
The mine, which reopened in March, was closed yesterday in remembrance of the miners. Beyond that, however, there were no formal activities organized to mark the anniversary.
"We felt there'd been so many memorials and services," said the Rev. Wease Day, who had helped comfort the family members through 40 hours of waiting a year ago. "Today, we just thought we'd give the families some quiet time."
James Knorr III, mayor of nearby Buckhannon, said city and Upshur County officials had discussed putting together some sort of observance.
"We talked about it," he said. "Yes, it would have been nice to remember it. But I think these people have finally, to some degree, begun to accept what happened, and to drag it all up again might just cause more hardships.
"I know that all of us will remember where we were and what we were doing when we first learned of the explosion at Sago. And all of us will remember how we prayed for those miners and their loved ones."
After several moments along the fence, the family members began the walk back to the church parking lot. The first to come down the hill was Randal McCloy Jr., the only miner to be brought out of Sago alive, accompanied by his wife, Anna, and their young son, Randal III.
Mr. McCloy, slowly shuffling along at a pace reflecting his long recovery from exposure to carbon monoxide in the mine, and his family have declined interview requests at the direction of his physician. The other family members, however, took advantage of yesterday's gathering to ask how he was doing and wish him well. They also gave their best to Mrs. McCloy, who said the couple is expecting another child. Her due date, she said, is April 14 -- her husband's birthday.
"It's important that we be together here with our families and each other," Mrs. Hamner said later. "We shared the same loss."
Jeff Gentner, Associated PressHolly Winans, the daughter of miner Marshall Winans, who died at the Sago mine a year ago, holds up family friend Ashley Fortney, 5, to point to an engraving of Mr. Winans at the miners' memorial yesterday in Tallmansville, W.Va.
Click photo for larger image.
First Published January 3, 2007 12:00 am
