DUNBAR, W.Va. — Exactly one year after the floods that claimed the lives of 23 West Virginians, first responders got together at the West Virginia State Police Academy for a memorial service and honorary ringing of the bell for those affected by the disaster.
Agencies associated with the state department of military affairs and public safety spoke at the event, and a common thread between all of their speeches was gratitude for those who helped, sorrow for those lost, and wonder at the perseverance of those affected.
First Seargant Rob Perry, deputy director of training at the state police academy, said there were a lot of things that he would never forget about that day, but the biggest thing that stood out to him was the pride and spirt of the people of West Virginia.
“It wasn’t just law enforcement,” Perry said at the memorial event Friday. “The victims, even people who had lost everything, stuck together and helped other people who were affected by the floods.”
Perry, who was a first responder that night, recalled a little girl gripping a teddy bear covered in mud.
“If something like that doesn’t affect you, there is probably something wrong,” Perry said. “You see the faces of the kids who lost everything, things like that made me think about my own family in Wayne County. I was thankful they weren’t affected but at the same time I truly wanted to be there hoping those who were affected and hurt.”
The bell rang out 23 times for each of the 23 victims.
Director of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security James Gianato, who rang the bell in honor of the 14 year old girl whose body was the last recovered, said it was an emotional moment.
“We have had situations in the state where we have not been able to recover all the bodies,” Gianato said. “You want to bring that closure to a family, that they know their loved one has been found, and at least they can lay them to rest and know for sure what happened to them.”
While speaking during the memorial event, Gianato told the story of first responders agreeing that they would not stop searching until every person lost to the floods was found and laid to rest.
The memorial service closed with the crowd being led in the singing of “Amazing Grace” and a prayer.