On January 2, 2006, parts of the Sago Mine in West Virginia collapsed, leaving unknown the fate of thirteen miners trapped by the accident. Rescuers did not reach these men until almost two days later, at which time it was discovered twelve of the miners had perished, eleven of suffocation and one from injuries received in the blast.

The lone survivor, Randal McCloy, was treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and organ damage. His family elected for him to receive hyperbaric therapy, the same treatment given to scuba divers suffering from the bends. Patients breathe 100 percent oxygen (room air is 21 percent oxygen) in a chamber where the atmospheric pressure is two to three times normal to help the oxygen penetrate tissues it cannot reach under normal conditions. To achieve this treatment, McCloy was kept in a medically-induced coma.

While this 26-year-old father of two struggled to recover, speculations regarding the possible reasons for his being the only survivor of this mining disaster remained unanswered. One theory asserted was that, the other miners, knowing that they would perish otherwise, shared oxygen from their self-rescuers with McCloy.

Several months after the accident, when Randal McCloy was sufficiently recovered to release a statement, the story he told was the opposite of the one presented above: At least four of the miners' air packs did not function, so McCloy shared his own rescuer with another miner, and the miners trapped with him shared theirs with the other three men whose own devices did not work. 

The air packs, referred to as "rescuers" , are intended to give each miner about an hour's worth of oxygen while they escape or find a pocket of clean air. But at least four of the devices did not function, according to McCloy. 

"There were not enough rescuers to go around,"  McCloy said.   He said that he shared his air pack with miner Jerry Groves, and his co-workers did the same with the three other men whose devices were not functioning.  

Finally, resigned to their fate, the men recited a "sinner's prayer,"  scrawled farewell notes to their loved ones, and succumbed, some as if drifting off to sleep. 

The miners did not all share their air packs with Randal McCloy because he was a young father in need of help. Randal and some others shared their own rescuers with four other men because there were not enough working packs to go around. 

This is an incredibly inspiring and touching story of a genuine act of kindness and compassion and  it is worth sharing as a testament to God's purpose in all things. God  always gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him.  He really works in many mysterious ways. 

  Examples of Sinner's Prayer:

Dear God, have mercy on me and save my soul, for Jesus' sake. Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. Amen.

Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and that I deserve to go to hell. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I do now receive Him as my personal Lord and Savior. I promise to serve you the best I can. Please save me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Dear Jesus, I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me and give me a new heart. Amen.



 

Tim