Having worked there the one thing I wonder about every anniversary is how are those that survived making out.
As there was no discussion about Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) back then these employees were left on their own to find a way to deal with the explosion, loss of life and to try to repair their own lives and provide for their families.
Volumes have been written and mountains of conversation spoken about what happened, how it happened and the cause, but the only ones that know for sure were the deceased.
As for us, the survivors, I hope and pray they were all as lucky as me to find work and to remember those that died that day and those that had to rebuild their lives afterwards each time this anniversary rolls around.
On May 9 say a prayer for all the former Westray employees.
Don M. Dickson
Sydney
(Former process operator, Westray Mine)
FULL COVERAGE: Remembering Westray: 25 years