A Miner's Last Farewell

During the last moments of a life that ended 260 feet underground, West Virginia miner Martin Toler Jr. left a note for his family saying "Tell all I see them on the other side." This was just one of several notes reported to have been left by the miners trapped in the Sago Mine as a source of comfort for their family members. There was even a short note left with the miner believed to have died in the initial explosion, 50-year-old Terry Helms. It simply said, "He went in peace."

The sole survivor of the Sago Mine tragedy is still listed in critical condition in Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he was transferred Thursday evening.

It is believed that Randal McCloy Jr. may have suffered some brain damage due to the many hours of oxygen deprivation while trapped in the mine. He is currently undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help improve his neurological function. The special hyperbaric chamber surrouds the patient with pressurized oxygen.

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