Solidarity (20)

Nine men died as a result of the collapse at the Crandall Canyon mine over a month ago - six miners trapped in the mine and three men who were killed trying to rescue them. According to the Salt Lake Tribune they were remembered in Huntington, Utah at a community-wide memorial service yesterday. I have been posting images of mines and miners for some time in solidarity with these men, their families, friends and neighbors. This will be the last post in the series.

The Tribune report offers the following brief sketches of these men. It seems appropriate to end this vigil by naming them again.

"* Kerry Allred, nicknamed Flash, a few days shy of his 35th wedding anniversary with Bessie, a guitar-playing man who loved NASCAR before it was cool.
* Don Erickson, a great husband to Nelda, father of three, grandfather of nine, who loved the great outdoors and cracking jokes.
* Luis Alonso Hernandez, who met his wife when they were 8. They fell in love while bowling, going to the beach and dancing.
* Juan Carlos Payan, who loved cars and loved to drive fast, went to the gym frequently and sent money back to Mexico for his siblings' education.
* Brandon Phillips, who leaves behind a 5-year-old "daddy's boy" and loved to hunt, fish, camp and snowboard.
* Manuel Sanchez, an "honest, hard-working" man who gave his family a good home and was a friend to many.
* Dale "Bird" Black, golfer extraordinaire who hunted everything you could get a license for and rode machines like a 16-year-old boy.
* Brandon Kimber, attentive father except when it came to changing poopy diapers, and a guy who loved fixing his dad's truck.
* Gary Jensen, who gave his all to his community as a mine-rescue team member, emergency medical technician and kids' sports coach."