When Rescuers Need to Be Rescued

For several days there have been rescue attempts for the six miners trapped in the Utah mine. The latest attempt to rescue the six miners proved fatal for three of the nine rescuers on August 16, 2007. The second fatality was a rescuer who was care-flighted directly from the mine to a hospital in Provo, Utah. He had several internal injuries and broken bones. Although he was breathing on his own, he passed away while a trauma team was working feverishly to save him at the hospital in Provo, Utah.

By Thursday night however, one family was happy to welcome home a rescuer who was released to go home from the hospital. The names of the miners who suffered fatalities have been kept private until all of their families hear the news first hand.

The question on everyone's mind is one of the difficult decisions that will have to be made. Do rescue attempts continue? After 11 days what hope is there for returning and rescuing the six miners? Is all a lost cause leaving family behind grieving the six miners and closing the mine to be a tomb?

So what is there to say about the brave heroes who went back into the mine in attempts to rescue the six miners and found they needing to be rescued? Three of them gave up their own lives in the hope that they could save even one of the six miners. Their families are grieving as prayers are lifted up for them and for the other seven who were injured in rescue attempts on Thursday.

What are those three lives worth? The three lives of the rescuers who died trying to save the six miners? How do you put a price on human life? Compassion grips the nation of viewers who have witnessed the rescue efforts this month on TV and the media.

Who were these rescuers who needed rescuing themselves but perished in their efforts? Did they have children needing them to be there through their lives that they left orphaned by one parent? Did they leave spouses and mothers, fathers, and siblings behind with holes in their hearts crying out for them? Do the survivors of these brave individuals who died try to warm each other's hearts that have grown cold with grief? Do they spin stories to each other of times that the rescuers spent with them? Do they reminisce how much they meant to the families and friends left behind?

Don't let the rescuers attempts to save the six miners be in vain. Don't let the memory of their sacrifice go unnoticed. Pay them tribute by appreciating the loved ones in your life. Tell them how much you care. Hug them when you see them. Live for the moment. Enjoy here and now the gift of today.