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November 18, 2015
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November 18, 2015
Time heals all wounds, supposedly, and nowhere is this more evident than in events deemed newsworthy when they occur, but whose impact fades with each passing day, week and month.
Other events, other tragedies, take precedence, and our minds can only handle so much, after all.
When the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion claimed eleven lives in the Gulf of Mexico, the loss was less a factor in local and national consciousness as we dealt with the effects of the oil, or threat of them.
And then there is the Williams Pipeline explosion in Gibson, which occurred just over a month ago. Federal investigations are still going on, and a check of similar investigations in the past shows that it can be some time before answers emerge. Four men died as a result of the Oct. 8 incident. Michael Hill, 56, of Paris, Tenn.; Sam Brinlee, 40, of Berwick; Casey Ordoyne, 36, of Larose, and Jason Phillipe, 37, or Robertson, Ill., who more recently lived in Rocky Mount, N.C.
A story in this issue of The Times is concerned chiefly with Hill, who lay untreated and un-rescued beside his late comrades for two hours, then lived for four days in a hospital before passing.
His life is no more precious nor less than those of the other three men. But Hill’s family is the most recent voice to address the human side of this tragedy, sharing aspects of his life with us while we looked at more technical questions surrounding his passion and death.
“He was like a big teddy bear to everyone who knew him,” said his daughter Kristian Hill Elliott. “Although big and tall, he was gentle as could be. He enjoyed being around others, teaching, and making people smile. He wasn’t one to intentionally cause harm to anyone or anything. He was fascinated by eagles and the unspoken nature of their existence.”
“He also had a love for German Shepherds and left behind his sweet Ava who desperately misses him as well.
Upon bringing his clothes home and unpacking his truck, she laid upon his clothes and whined. In addition to myself and my younger brothers, he also left behind his Mom whom he has been the sole provider and cared for since his father passed away almost 5 years ago now and his three grandchildren to whom he was known as “Pe-Pa,” Elliott wrote.
“His death was not only tragic in nature but tragic in memory as well. We are used to him packing up and leaving Tennessee for weeks at a time but he would always be back for special occasions, his time off, and for the holidays. Our family always went to the mountains for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and it was tradition for him and I to go shopping just before midnight on Thanksgiving and shop all night long until the sun came up… In regards to the nature of the explosion, we are devastated, broken, and empty by the loss of our father. Everyday we have to remind ourselves that he isn’t just at work and will be home in a few days or a week. Every Thursday since the accident I relive the phone call from the hospital, the frustrations of not being able to get to him fast enough and the not knowing anything about what is going on or how he was doing. The stories or lack thereof have continued now into week 6. The little information we know is because we have obtained it ourselves and it makes the tragedy even worse.”
For me, her words were a slap, a wake-up, a reminder that no matter how much those of us deal with death and destruction on a day-to-day basis, it is important to remember the human factor, the loss that goes beyond the headline. And that is why I have shared Kristian Hill Elliott’s words with you here.
It is a reminder that some wounds may never heal, and how much we should cherish those around us we care about, because, well, you never know.
I know that our story about the Williams explosion may disturb some in the business of making and carrying out policy, for reasons that will be evident if you have a chance to read it.
Maybe the policy makers need to read these words, if for nothing else to remember why the type of scrutiny newspapers and other media outlets impose is not only essential, but morally and ethically necessary.
Michael Hill visits with his sons Chase (left) and Jon-Michael, and daughter Kristian Elliott in 2014.
