Miners' Lives Celebrated By Loved Ones
12 Miners Loved Families, God, NASCAR, And A Good Laugh
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Play CBS Video Video West Va. Honors 12 Coal Miners A community shaken by the death of 12 coal miners gathered for an emotional memorial. Randall Pinkston reports from West Virginia as family and friends took the first steps to move on.
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Video Honoring The Sago Coal Miners More than 2,000 people from across West Virginia attended a chapel service in honor of the 12 coal miners who died after an explosion in Sago. Susan Roberts reports.
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Mourners at a memorial service honoring the victims of the Sago Mine explosion release balloons outside of Wesley Chapel on the West Virginia Wesleyan campus in Buckhannon, W.Va., Jan 15, 2006. (AP)
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Wanda Groves is led by her son John, to her seat, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2006, in Buckhannon, W. Va. during a memorial service. Her son Jerry Groves is one of the 12 miners who died. (AP)
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Gayle Manchin, left, the first lady of W. Va., stands with Anna McCloy after receiving a statue of a miner Sunday, Jan. 15, 2006, in Buckhannon, W. Va. during a memorial service. (AP)
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Photo Essay All Hope Lost Anguish besets a West Virginia town as 12 of 13 miners are found dead after an explosion.
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Photo Essay Mine Explosion Tragedy unfolds after a coal mine explosion in Tallmansville, West Virginia.
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Interactive Mine Tragedy Here is a closer look at the miners who perished in West Virginia and the people who are mourning them.
A miner's helmet sat atop the wooden cross outside the West Virginia Wesleyan College chapel Sunday as a community shaken by the deaths of 12 miners gathered for prayers and healing.
Some stopped beside a series of photographs of the Sago Mine victims, where they were encouraged to leave personal messages.
"God definitely has 12 more angels. God bless you all," read one note, left beside the photo of Jesse L. Jones, 44.
Another urged 56-year-old Jerry Groves to "enjoy heaven until we get there."
"It's a small town. Everybody knows everyone," said Jonas Brinks, a 19-year-old student who said his family owned a hunting camp next door to one owned by Jones.
On the college campus, a few miles from the mine, family members wore white ribbons bearing the words "Sago 2006." More ribbons were tied to trees and light poles, and sheets that had been spray-painted with the words: "God bless Sago miners" hung from windows of a nearby dormitory.
David Blevins made the trip from his home in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to honor the miners Sunday. His own father had been among 13 miners killed in a 2001 mine explosion and fire in Alabama.
"We know exactly what they're going through. What they're feeling and what they will be feeling," Blevins said. "Grief, agony and very angry. And I'm sure hate will go through their hearts. It will take time for that to heal."
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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