Sago Mine disaster sole survivor is a new father

Publish date: 2024-05-02

Sago Mine survivor Randal McCloy Jr. is a father for the third time, and the first time since he miraculously lived through an explosion that killed 12 fellow miners.

Anna McCloy gave birth to Isaac Martin McCloy at a Clarksburg hospital Thursday, her father-in-law’s birthday. The 6-pound, 5-ounce boy is 19 inches long and was resting comfortably with his mother Thursday afternoon, family spokeswoman Aly Goodwin Gregg said.

“He’s just beautiful,” she said. “He looks just like Randy.”

McCloy, 27, of Simpson, was the only man on a 13-member crew to survive the Jan. 2, 2006, explosion and prolonged entrapment at the underground coal mine near Buckhannon. He inhaled carbon monoxide for more than 41 hours, and doctors have never been able to fully explain why only the youngest of the miners survived.

McCloy still suffers some vision and hearing impairment, as well as continuing weakness on the right side. He finished physical therapy at a rehabilitation center last summer but resumed treatment as an outpatient in March.

The McCloys’ older children are 5-year-old Randal III and 2-year-old Isabel.

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