The Longview community is still reeling after the deadly incident at the paper mill Tuesday, including Gilbert Bernal’s family.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — The family of Gilbert Bernal is mourning their father, grandfather and husband, who died following the deadly chemical tank failure at the Nippon Dynawave facility early Tuesday morning.
His son, Eli, recalls how the family learned of the news: “My mom got a call from somebody advising her that they had somebody, potentially that could be my father.”
Eli said he was too afraid to call his father’s phone, in fear he was one of those dead.
“At that point, we didn’t know anything other than he was in critical condition,” he said.
Eli said his dad was the kind of man he strives to be, describing him as an amazing husband and grandfather as well, calling his love “irreplaceable.”
Gilbert’s daughter, Geovana, said she learned he was one of the first people taken out of the damage.
“We do know that he was in critical condition; we were told that he was very calm, which is just my dad — he’s always had that calmness in him,” she said. “He probably knew his fate, but it gives me peace of mind that he was so calm because he was a godly man and knew that this was his time.”
Geovana said she hoped her dad was going to be okay, but he passed away shortly after he got to the hospital.
Eli and Geovana said their dad was silly and caring and just an overall fun person, who adored his grandchild. He worked at the plant for years, and often worked long hours, but never complained.
The family now has a GoFundMe.
The pain of these losses from the deadly incident also reaches far across the Longview community.
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“I have several friends now — unfortunately, it was originally just a few friends, but the more we wait, it’s now several friends and families who are either experiencing their family members in the hospital or missing completely,” said Abby Davis, a Longview resident.
She said many people in town either work or know somebody who works at the mill, which is a major part of the town, and while the community is hurting, no one is hurting as bad as the families who lost someone.
“While the community is all feeling this, the family’s living this, and when it comes to what they are experiencing, some of them have lost their entire children. They don’t have their children coming home today to them; their only children are gone,” Davis said.
“No matter what we say, what we do, how much money they are given, nothing is ever going to bring them back. That pain will be there forever,” she continued.
Davis said she knows of people who lost both their children in this tragedy and others who have lost their spouses.
“This is something that will most likely stick in our community for decades,” Davis said.
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