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Dick Nourse Reporting The layoffs this past week of more than a hundred miners in Carbon County shows the impact the industry can have on communities.
Exactly 22 years ago this coming week, those communities were dealing with some other tough news. Here's a look at how the Wilberg mine disaster is still being felt today.
In Utah's coal country, they celebrate the first weekend in December like the 4th of July.. a freezing 4th of July.
The joyful noise signifies the Christmas season, and in a way, softens the memory of another December night, more than 20 years ago.
That night, 27 miners went to work in the Wilberg mine, and never came out.
Rescue Miner/ 1984: "If you've ever been to hell, that's what it looks like."
For three days, rescue workers tried to reach the trapped miners. For three days, everyone prayed, and waited and hoped. But finally, their worst fears came true.
Bob Henrie/Spokesman, Emery Mining Corp., 1984: "We believe that there will be no survivors and that the teams now are simply attempting to locate bodies."
"Everyone in the community was affected. I mean everyone."
Elizabeth Robinson was a young wife and one of many young mothers who lost their husbands in the Wilberg mine disaster.
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "I heard two different times that he was dead."
Investigators later said her husband, Lynn Robinson, and the others died almost instantly. And, after all these years, her heart stops at any news of trapped miners.
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore/ Husband Died in Wilberg Mine: "I think the hardest time is this past year when they've had so many other mining accidents. It brings it all back really fresh."
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "I mean, I had three little kids, and Jacob and Bridget was wanting to know when their daddy was coming home."
Dick Nourse/Eyewitness News: "They were too little to understand."
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "Yeah, Jacob was four and Bridget was two and a half. Then there was Erica who was one and a half."
She credits her family, especially her in-laws, the community, and her faith, for helping her to finally heal. And she credits her second husband, Carl Fillmore.
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "I'd like to publicly thank Carl and let him know how much I do love him, because there's not too many men that would step in to a family and become a dad, and he was their dad."
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "I had people say to me, 'Well, I could never replace my husband.' Well I couldn't either. Because you don't replace people. But you can add to your family. You can add to your love."
Elizabeth and Carl added two sons to their family. And this Christmas, they show that time is a healer, too.
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "So as a family we said, 'We're not going to have Christmas in December anymore.' But we do. And I love Christmas. I love Christmas because there is hope and people do seem to be kinder to each other."
And when Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore remembers Lynn Robinson now, she's grateful.
Elizabeth Robinson Fillmore: "And it always helped me because the last thing I ever said to him was, 'I love you' as he walked out the door. And so I've always tried to carry that on with my husband now, with my kids - talk to 'em on the phone. I think it's important that we tell people that we love them because you don't know when you're going to see them again -- or if you will."
