Positive resolution to last week’s missing person case was a big relief

It isn’t often that I am inclined to say that I think I can speak for nearly everyone in the community, but this is one of those occasions. We’re all grateful that the missing person case of Darrell Carter last week had a happy ending.

Carter, 75, who has a history of dementia, had gone into the woods last Sunday near Rockholds searching for snake weed. He was found late last Wednesday evening just outside the search area.

I’ve covered a lot of missing person cases over the decades and a lot of them don’t have happy endings. To be truthful, given how long Mr. Carter was gone, his age, and the near triple digit temperature readings, I was afraid this was going to be one of those sad endings. It was nothing short of a miracle that this case had a happy ending.

Thanks to all of our fire departments, other first responders and all of the volunteers for their time and efforts in helping to find Mr. Carter.

Something that I think most people take for granted and/or simply don’t realize is that most of the firefighters and rescue personnel we have in our area are volunteers, who don’t get paid and have real life jobs to do in addition to fighting fires, cutting people out of vehicles when they are trapped inside, and searching for missing people.

As often is the case, many of our volunteer firefighters will get off work, go spend hours battling a fire, spend a few more hours cleaning up their gear, grab a couple of hours of rest, and then head back off to work at their day jobs.

When you see them rushing to a fire or accident scene, most of the time it is in their own vehicles and they are paying for their own gas.

This is just something that I encourage local residents to keep in mind the next time they see firefighters out seeking donations so they can pay utility bills at the fire station and maintain fire trucks.

A lot is owed to a few who do this type of volunteer work.

Now for a few other thoughts before I conclude this column.

• I thought the Corbin Fire Department had a wonderful old school idea when they set up for “Water Days” Thursday afternoon near the skate park on Wilson Street.

The fire department turned on the water spigot so local children had a chance to cool off and beat the summer heat for free.

This was an especially great thing given the fact that the Corbin City Pool is closed this summer while it awaits some very expensive repairs.

The Corbin Fire Department has another “Water Day” planned for Thursday, June 23 from 2 – 3 p.m., and I would encourage local youngsters who live close by to come and check it out.

Great way to help some local youngsters beat the heat, Corbin Fire Department. Good job.

• Congratulations to Allen Mitchell, who was named as the new head football coach at South Laurel High School Friday. Allen and I went to high school together, although I graduated a couple of years ahead of him. He’s a good guy, who should do great things as a head coach. I wish him well.

• After finally getting COVID-19, I spent last week working from home during my COVID quarantine. Given the heat, it was a good week to spend inside. 

Working from home had its ups and downs. For instance, much of the week I didn’t even put on shoes. This was definitely a different experience.

My three feline co-workers seemed to enjoy my company. Unlike some other times that I have worked from home for a day or two, they didn’t try interjecting their editorial input this time, i.e. sitting on my keyboard…LOL.