Our hearts are heavy in wake of tragedy

On Sunday, Nov. 8, the Thermopolis community was shaken by an unimaginable tragedy. As we reel in our grief and loss, as we pray for those affected and those involved, we find ourselves in a place that deserves introspection.

Trains and railways have for over a century formed the backbone of industrial America and led our country to become the most powerful in the world. Trains are commonplace in every town and city across our great land.

For Thermopolis locals, the blaring of horns day in and day out often goes unnoticed. The same can be said in all corners of our nation.

In this great world of ours, there is very little that is left to our individual control. In this great world of ours, there is an incredibly thin line between life and death.

This great world of ours, therefor, demands constant attention and constant care for which we are in turn rewarded with the great joy of being present, being a community and being with those we love and those that love us in return.

So, in the deafening absence of answers to Sunday’s tragedy, we would like to urge community members to instead think deeply about what we can do in the future to prevent incidents of this kind.

It is impossible to undo the events that have shocked and puzzled us this last week, but it is possible to prevent tragedies of this sort in the future. It is crucial to remember the ripples these tragedies send throughout our community; families of the victims, first responders who are called to the scene to provide crucial services and conductors aboard the train.