An honorable man, a hopeful president

President Obama attended a somber event on Sunday (April 25) in Beckley, West Virginia, where he delivered a eulogy for the 29 miners who were killed in an explosion earlier this month.

He offered words of wisdom as he urged the mourning to say their final goodbyes, and to remember those they have lost as they continue on with their lives. He sought to offer a sympathetic understanding on behalf of the entire country, as his way of consoling the families who suffered a loss from this tragic event. One by one, he read off the names of the 29 lost souls, suggesting “the face of God, who quiets our troubled minds, mends our broken hearts and eases our mourning souls” to a teary and emotional audience.

A memorial statue for the Beckley Miners

He changed his somber tone into one of action as he turned his attention toward the regulation failures that led to the explosion, and promised prompt federal investigation to uncover the true causes behind the accident.

The four-hour ceremony wound down as the family members entered the convention center with helmets, which they perched atop 29 white crosses that stood across the stage. At the close of the memorial, the headlamps on each was turned on, to symbolize the light that would shine beyond the lives of those who were lost.