It's spectacular. Stunning, really. I've seen it from airplanes, I've watched video of its eruption-but I'd never driven to see Mount St. Helens up close. While the mountain itself was breathtaking-it's not the view that I can't stop thinking about two days later. It's Harry Truman.
32 years ago this week, Harry spent his last week on earth sleeping on the mountain he loved dearly. A mountain he refused to leave despite mandatory evacuation orders, despite warnings that an eruption was imminent. It was this decision that brought Harry out of obscurity and made him a folk hero within a matter of weeks. Some might think Harry was an idiot. I think the opposite. Harry stared death in the face, sipped a whiskey coke and chuckled. What a way to go out. He welcomed reporters into his lodge. He offered them a drink and gave them an ear full. He tapped his toe to his player piano. He stood his ground. Harry was not about to leave the place he called home for more than 50 years. He wasn't about to abandon the mountain that was the backdrop to his life. Harry was quoted in the Longview Daily News saying "Spirit Lake and Mount St. Helens are my life. You couldn't pull me out with a mule team." No mule team, no emergency manager, not even letters from school kids could convince Harry to leave. He stood it out, no matter what-and for that I admire him. Harry is one of 57 people who died when Mount St. Helens erupted May 18th, 1980. His body was never found, neither was the lodge he and his wife built 52 years before on the shores of Spirit Lake. It's likely Harry is entombed in the 150 feet of volcanic debris that came roaring down the slopes of St. Helens that day. Buried by the mountain he loved so dearly.
Here's one of Harry's final interviews. I sure wish I could have met him.
Here's one of Harry's final interviews. I sure wish I could have met him.
My pictures from my May 14, 2012 trip to the mountain. What a perfect day:
2 comments:
Well said, Ms. Showman.
I've always been disappointed that the National Monument does not give more attention to the loss of life during the eruption, especially Mr. Truman. In their interpretative talks and their exibits, they focus almost exclusivly on the geology of the mountain and its physical transformation before, during, and after the eruption, but there is very little about the people whose lives were lost. In fact, I took some out-of-town friends up there once and they came away not realizing that anyone lost their lives.
I'm not sure why the Monument seems to almost refuse to acknowledge the loss of life, it's almost as if they want it to be a geologic Disneyland, where there are only "happy thoughts". In my opinion, there should be a memorial up there with the names and a bio of every single one of the 57 lives that were lost. This would make it a much more personal experience and make people understand the gravity of loss that day.
These are fantastic photos that you take Sally, just perfect!
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