Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Family of missing US couple accepts search end

    Associated Press – Tue, Jan 31, 2012

    WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. (AP) — Family members of a Minnesota couple missing in the Italian cruise ship disaster said Tuesday they accept the decision to end the search.

    In a blog posting, the children of Jerry and Barbara Heil of White Bear Lake, Minn., say they are "certainly disheartened to hear the news" but understand.

    Italian emergency officials decided to end the search due to the danger to rescue workers. The Heils are the only Americans missing in the Jan. 13 wreck.

    "We cannot express enough our sincere gratitude to all those involved in the search and rescue effort. Time and time again, the rescuers faced many perils in the hopes of reuniting the missing with their families. We will be forever grateful for all those who worked so hard for people they did not even know, yet understood how important their job was for those that remained waiting for news," the Heil family said in a statement.

    "As we struggle to come to grips with this tragedy, we find comfort knowing Mom and Dad are now in a better place free from any worries. They have always been obedient to God's plan and now we must do the same."

    Some 4,200 passengers and crew were on board the Costa Concordia cruise ship when it capsized. Seventeen bodies have been recovered, of which one has not yet been identified. Sixteen people are listed as missing but are presumed dead. The last time anyone was found alive was Jan. 15.

    The Heils are active members of the Church of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake, a St. Paul suburb. Church members describe the Heils as quiet, kind people deeply involved in their congregation. Jerry Heil, 69, who retired from a job at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, would teach religious education classes, and Barbara Heil, 70, would bring baked goods to class members.

    Diane Vorwald, 48, who uses a wheelchair, said Jerry Heil would come to her home weekly to administer communion. In the summer, he would bring her fresh pies, she recalled.

    "He's done a lot for me. It's a loss to me," Vorwald said.

    The Heil family is making plans for a memorial service.

     

    16 comments

    • J.T.
      J.T.  •  3 mths ago
      Heil Family, I am so, so sorry for your loss. They look like such pleasant people in the photo.
      • Tom2
        Tom2 3 mths ago
        They do look like very pleasant people.
        God bless you Heil family.
    • LorettaS
      LorettaS  •  Washington, District of Columbia  •  3 mths ago
      How very sad for the family. I hope this does not effect their ability to move on without having the bodies to bury. They are in my prayers and I hope in the prayers of many others. God Bless.
    • Pearlie
      Pearlie  •  Rochester, New Hampshire  •  3 mths ago
      How horrible that they have to move on without the last piece of closure. My condolences to the family and friends. I also hope they are able to recover them at some point so everyone can say goodbye.
    • spooky
      spooky  •  Free Soil, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      my only questions are. even though the search is ending , might they still find them in the recovery process? or are they saying the two people lost will possibly never be found.
    • LorettaS
      LorettaS  •  Washington, District of Columbia  •  3 mths ago
      Note to the posters of all the negative and biased comments. Find another forum, you are not appreciated by good people. Your comments hurt the innocent.
      • Ted C
        Ted C 3 mths ago
        Good comment Loretta. Im stunned someone actually gave you a thumbs down. Unbelievable.
    • Jess
      Jess  •  3 mths ago
      I wonder if they checked the hospitals? mental asylums?....I mean, sometimes people are rushed to hospitals, and they are in such mental shape don't even remember their names. And Italy is a third world country, they are in Europe but they still have laws and other stuff from third world countries.
      • kenneth
        kenneth 3 mths ago
        Never set foot outside the US eh?
      • Ernie
        Ernie 3 mths ago
        They aren't.
      • Jutta K.-E.
        Jutta K.-E. 3 mths ago
        So agree Kenneth but I am afraid good old Jess has never left the county where he/she was born, raised, and likely will die.
    • Eric
      Eric  •  3 mths ago
      The thing that really disturbs me about this is, how do we know that these "divers" searching the ship aren't taking this opportunity to paw through the underwear drawers of the female passengers? If I were a passenger I would be very worried about that. I absolutely would feel personally violated.
      • dw731
        dw731 3 mths ago
        Eric, I would be more worried if they were going through the mens underwear. lol Geesh, do you really think that any passenger is worried about someone finding their skivies? I would just be glad I got off safely.
      • donsgirl
        donsgirl 3 mths ago
        i would think the last thing on the mind of a diver who is risking his life going into the wreckage would be fondling underwear ! how ridiculus
      • MJ
        MJ 3 mths ago
        Eric- you are sick- may god have mercy on your soul.
    • Bob Bowman
      Bob Bowman  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      The loss of Catholics, aka child molester -enablers, is always a net positive for the U.S. and not necessarily something to be mourned but celebrated
      • Ernie
        Ernie 3 mths ago
        They aren't Catholic, jackass.
      • Jim
        Jim 3 mths ago
        Don't blame the members, blame the organization itself. People are all to be loved. It s governments, corporations, and the idea of the church as a religion in itself that things get ugly.
      • Raist
        Raist 3 mths ago
        ho Bob, such a stupid comment from a very cold-hearted man ... pity ...
    • Suit of Flames
      Suit of Flames  •  3 mths ago
      The loss of Catholics, aka child molester -enablers, is always a net positive for the U.S. and not necessarily something to be mourned but celebrated
    • Cosworth
      Cosworth  •  3 mths ago
      Fish food !
    • Senorita555
      Senorita555  •  3 mths ago
      This can be a chance to start a new life if you have the courage to do it. Just walk away and start over with a new name. Leave behind meddling family and friends. Others have done it.
    • MJ
      MJ  •  La Crosse, Wisconsin  •  3 mths ago
      No sum of money can bring justice to this situation, but this couples children better receive a huge amount of cash compensation!!
    • TBrown
      TBrown  •  3 mths ago
      Very sad. They sounded like truly giving people and may God bless them for the kindness they showed to so many, and may they now rest in peace with Him.
    • Garrett
      Garrett  •  3 mths ago
      "As we struggle to come to grips with this tragedy, we find comfort knowing Mom and Dad are now in a better place free from any worries. They have always been obedient to God's plan and now we must do the same."

      Was it "God's plan" to have a cruise ship captain deliberately veer off course and sink a ship with 4,200 people on board? Wonder why he came up with that one!
    • Izabella
      Izabella  •  3 mths ago
      I'm sorry to hear they can't bring your family home. My prayers are with you all as you mourn the loss of your parents/grandparents.
    • Killer B
      Killer B  •  3 mths ago
      I like fresh pie.
     Post a comment
    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

    News For You

    Loading...