toledoblade.com --

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Holding his wife's arm, the sole survivor of the Sago mine disaster greeted a room crammed with reporters, then walked out to return to the home he left nearly three months ago.

Randal McCloy, Jr., made his first public appearance this morning at a hotel following his discharge from a rehabilitation hospital here. He entered on the arm of his wife, Anna, with his son, Randal III and brother-in-law Rick McGee following.

Mr. McCloy was wearing a blue plaid shirt, jeans, a Ford racing jacket, and a ball cap. He was very thin, but looked remarkably healthy for someone doctors described as minutes from death when he was rescued.

Mr. McCloy spoke briefly after remarks by his wife and West Virginia Gov. Joe Machin III first thanked doctors and the people of West Virginia for supporting Mr. McCloy through his ongoing recovery. Gov. Manchin also displayed a copy of a green-and-white road sign erected last night, proclaiming that Mr. McCloy now lives on "Miracle Road." He presented it to Mr. McCloy.

"I'd just like to thank everybody for their thoughts and prayers. I believe that's it," said Mr. McCloy, speaking slowly but clearly. He turned and started to leave, and then said, "Oh, thank you for that sign," drawing laughter and applause from everyone in the room. And then he left.

In her remarks, Anna McCloy thanked her family, her children and the doctors and staff from the hospitals where her husband was treated after he was carried from the mine. She also noted that her family continues to keep in its thoughts the families who continue to mourn the other Sago miners who did not survive the Jan. 2 explosion.

"When Randy was rescued we weren't sure of our miracle. These men are responsible," she said, smiling at a trio of doctors who oversaw Mr. McCloy's treatment. ". . . Today is another part of our miracle, three months after."

As the McCloys spoke, at least eight members of his rehabilitation team from the HealthSouth Mountainview Regional Rehabilitation Hospital in Morgantown crouched on the floor and watched. All of them beamed but a couple of them brushed at their eyes when Mr. and Mrs. McCloy spoke. The doctors, too, expressed gratitude and amazement that Mr. McCloy has progressed as much as he has.

The doctors said that his condition was extremely grave, with multiple injuries and organ failure, when he arrived at West Virginia University Hospitals after his rescue. They acknowledged the uncertainty about the possibilities for recovery.

Dr. Larry Roberts, director of the trauma center at WVU Hospitals, said "every bodily function was basically not functioning when he arrived." The doctors detailed the brain, liver, kidney and lung injuries for which Mr. McCloy was treated and said he still will need to continue therapy. They said that he also suffered psychological injury from his ordeal.

Dr. Julian Bailes, chairman of neurosurgery for the hospitals, said that to doctors' knowledge, Mr. McCloy's case is the longest known exposure to carbon monoxide -- 41 hours -- that a patient survived.

"What you're seeing here today is a very early patient recovery. We are confident he is going to have a great outcome," said Dr. Bailes

Dr. Russell Biundo, medical director at HealthSouth, asked if there was a moment when he knew there would be recovery, described an incident on Valentine's Day when "we knew he turned around. We knew his personality would be coming back." As he'd done on previous days, Dr. Biundo walked into Mr. McCLoy's room and said "Randy, how are you doing?" On every morning before that, there was no response from Mr. McCloy, who simply lay expressionless in bed. But on that day, Mr. McCloy responded with "um" sounds.

"It was a direct response and an appropriate response. It was remarkable. Everyone had a little bit of a celebration."

Mr. McCloy left the hotel to return to his home in Simpson. He and his wife did not take questions. State troopers are expected to be stationed near his home to protect their privacy.

The Block News Alliance consists of The Blade and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cindi Lash is a reporter for the Post-Gazette.

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