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A Very Happy Homecoming

Randal McCloy Jr. may be a miracle man. Doctors can't explain how he survived an explosion in the Sago Mine, in Tallmansville, West Virginia, three months ago. McCloy can't understand it either. "I have no explanation of how I escaped and survived," he says. Against all odds, he lived to tell his tale. He was finally released from the hospital last Thursday.

McCloy was injured on January 2 after an explosion inside the coal mine. The blast trapped 13 miners underground for 41 hours. McCloy, who was the only survivor, says he doesn't remember much about being trapped. When rescuers found him, he was severely injured and close to death. He was unconscious for weeks. Recovering completely and rebuilding his strength will be a long, slow process. McCloy says that he will not go back to work as a coal miner.

McCloy's friends and family have stood by his side. He says they are responsible for his recovery. "The people who are there for you create a world where you can get better," he said. "It's love, really."

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