Tag: Death

Documentary Filmmaker And W.Va. Native Morgan Spurlock, Who Skewered Fast Food Industry, Dies At 53

Documentary filmmaker and West Virginia native Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.

Written by MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Documentary filmmaker and West Virginia native Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.

Spurlock died Thursday in New York from complications of cancer, according to a statement issued Friday by his family.

“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects, said in the statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”

Spurlock made a splash in 2004 with his groundbreaking film “Super Size Me,” which was nominated for an Academy Award. The film chronicled the detrimental physical and psychological effects of Spurlock eating only McDonald’s food for 30 days. He gained about 25 pounds, saw a spike in his cholesterol and lost his sex drive.

“Everything’s bigger in America,” he said in the film. “We’ve got the biggest cars, the biggest houses, the biggest companies, the biggest food, and finally: the biggest people.”

In one scene, Spurlock showed kids a photo of George Washington and none recognized the Founding Father. But they all instantly knew the mascots for Wendy’s and McDonald’s.

The film grossed more than $22 million on a $65,000 budget and preceded the release of Eric Schlosser’s influential “Fast Food Nation,” which accused the industry of being bad for the environment and rife with labor issues.

FILE – Morgan Spurlock poses at the Los Angeles premiere of his film “Super Size Me,” Thursday night, April 22, 2004, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

Photo Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

Spurlock returned in 2017 with “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — a sober look at an industry that processes nine billion animals a year in America. He focused on two issues: chicken farmers stuck in a peculiar financial system and the attempt by fast-food chains to deceive customers into thinking they’re eating healthier.

“We’re at an amazing moment in history from a consumer standpoint where consumers are starting to have more and more power,” he told The Associated Press in 2019. “It’s not about return for the shareholders. It’s about return for the consumers.”

Spurlock was a gonzo-like filmmaker who leaned into the bizarre and ridiculous. His stylistic touches included zippy graphics and amusing music, blending a Michael Moore-ish camera-in-your-face style with his own sense of humor and pathos.

“I wanted to be able to lean into the serious moments. I wanted to be able to breathe in the moments of levity. We want to give you permission to laugh in the places where it’s really hard to laugh,” he told the AP.

After he exposed the fast-food and chicken industries, there was an explosion in restaurants stressing freshness, artisanal methods, farm-to-table goodness and ethically sourced ingredients. But nutritionally not much had changed.

“There has been this massive shift and people say to me, ‘So has the food gotten healthier?’ And I say, ‘Well, the marketing sure has,’” he said.

Not all his work dealt with food. Spurlock made documentaries about the boy band One Direction and the geeks and fanboys at Comic-Con. One of his films looked at life behind bars at the Henrico County Jail in Virginia.

With 2008’s “Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?” Spurlock went on a global search to find the al-Qaida leader, who was killed in 2011. In “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” Spurlock tackled questions of product placement, marketing and advertising.

“Being aware is half the battle, I think. Literally knowing all the time when you’re being marketed to is a great thing,” Spurlock told AP at the time. “A lot of people don’t realize it. They can’t see the forest for the trees.”

“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” was to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 but it was shelved at the height of the #MeToo movement when Spurlock came forward to detail his own history of sexual misconduct.

He confessed that he had been accused of rape while in college and had settled a sexual harassment case with a female assistant. He also admitted to cheating on numerous partners. “I am part of the problem,” he wrote.

“For me, there was a moment of kind of realization — as somebody who is a truth-teller and somebody who has made it a point of trying to do what’s right — of recognizing that I could do better in my own life. We should be able to admit we were wrong,” he told the AP.

Spurlock grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. His mother was an English teacher who he remembered would correct his work with a red pen. He graduated with a BFA in film from New York University in 1993.

He is survived by two sons — Laken and Kallen; his mother Phyllis Spurlock; father Ben; brothers Craig and Barry; and former spouses Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein, the mothers of his children.

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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

TikTok Sensation ‘Appalachian Forager’ And Ruthie Foster Has Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, we learn about an incident at a state-run psychiatric facility, we meet a TikTok sensation who forages in Appalachia and we listen to our Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

On this West Virginia Morning, we learn about an incident at a state-run psychiatric facility, we meet a TikTok sensation who forages in Appalachia and we listen to our Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

The commission that oversees West Virginia’s state-run hospitals questioned state officials but received few answers following the January death of a man held at a state-run psychiatric facility. Emily Rice has more.

Also, in this show, gathering wild foods in Appalachia has been a way to put food on the table for decades, but one woman in eastern Kentucky is introducing foraging to the TikTok generation through an account called “Appalachian Forager.” She shares her knowledge, along with some humor, and her videos have gone viral. Folkways Reporter Amanda Page has the story.

And, our Mountain Stage Song of the Week comes to us from three-time Grammy winner and Austin, Texas-based vocal powerhouse, Ruthie Foster. We listen to her performance of “Healing Time,” the upbeat title song from her ninth studio album of the same name.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.

Our Appalachia Health News project is made possible with support from Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker and Liz McCormick.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Chris Schulz produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Lawmakers Search For Answers In Elderly Patient’s Boiling Death

The commission that oversees West Virginia’s state-run hospitals questioned state officials but received few answers following the January death of a man held at a state-run psychiatric facility.

The Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability (LOCHHRA) attempted to get more information Tuesday about the circumstances surrounding the death of an elderly, nonverbal man who was left unattended in scalding water at Hopemont Hospital, a long-term care facility in Preston County.

What Happened?

In January, an elderly, nonverbal man with dementia was left in scalding hot water by nurses at a state-run, long-term care facility. The man, referred to as Resident #19 in the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification’s (OHFLAC) report, had burns covering 35 percent of his body from being left in the 134 degree whirlpool bathtub for 47 minutes.

In a press release from Jan. 5, the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities (DHF) released a statement calling the incident an “equipment malfunction.”

“A thermostat on a water tank servicing one residential unit failed resulting in unsafe water temperatures,” the release reads. “Subsequently, one resident of the facility was treated for burns.”

According to the OHFLAC report, the nurses on staff did not tend to Resident #19’s burns immediately or call 911. They conferred with one another about whether or not the man had a skin condition that could cause his skin to peel before realizing he was burnt from the bath. 

Two hours after the incident began, the man was transferred to a local hospital, then to a burn unit in another state where he later died from his injuries.

State Lawmakers Want Answers

Lawmakers were met with little response from general counsel for the Office of the Inspector General, Jessica Whitmore, who told lawmakers she could not provide details about the case, only the procedure of the investigation.

“I cannot discuss specifics of this report,” Whitmore said. “This report was conducted pursuant to federal regulation, and federal regulation by the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) does not allow us to testify about specifics of reports.”

Sen. Vince Deeds, R-Greenbrier, asked Whitmore what federal regulation prevented her from discussing the report. 

“There should be a mechanism for transparency and clarity within a facility,” Deeds said. “I just don’t feel quite comfortable with it right now. It feels like you’re trying to give me partial answers to things, because there may be some reasons that you just don’t want to discuss this.”

Whitmore cited federal regulation under 45CFR part two, which provides procedures when voluntary testimony is requested or when an employee is subpoenaed.

“It says we cannot discuss the specifics of any investigation we do pursuant to our agreement with CMS as the state survey agency,” Whitemore said.

Legal Director of Disability Rights of West Virginia Mike Folio told WVPB Wednesday the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) should have been able to answer LOCHHRA’s questions.

“For OIG to send an attorney up there and not to answer subsequent questions is just outrageous to me,” Folio said. “And I’m not necessarily faulting the attorney. I’m faulting the inspector general, who was the governor’s deputy chief of staff.”

In response to a question from Del. Amy Summers, R-Taylor, Secretary of the Department of Health Facilities Michael Caruso said he is not allowed to elaborate on the investigation.

“What I would like to expand to tell you is that when an isolated incident occurs, in any facility, we immediately jump on that situation, we’re the ones that reported to OHFLAC, we’re the ones that call all the other entities that then get involved in that process, we’re the ones that solve the problem, and we solve that problem pretty quickly, with an unfortunate situation that it did occur,” Caruso said.

A Timeline Of The Incident

*Editor’s note: The following may be difficult for some readers.

On Jan. 4, 2024, according to the OFLAC report, a nurse aide put the man, who was nonverbal, into a whirlpool tub and filled the tub to knee level, then realized the water was too warm and asked another aide to try to adjust the water.

“I walked in and put my hand in the water and said, ‘that’s hot.’ The [sic] looked at the temp gauge and it was 134 (degrees),” a nurse’s aid said in a statement in the report. “The water was past his knees but not running. I immediately turned the temp down and ran cold water in the bath. It cooled down and I went out of the bath back to my task I was doing. Then when I walked back up the hall, I overheard he had blisters and recalled what happened. I knew the bathtub would go to 140 (degrees) but I didn’t report it because the other staff told me it was normal and how to fix it.”

According to the report, readings of water temperatures taken from January to December 2023 show the water temperature at Hopemont Hospital was consistently above the regulation 110-degree maximum.

“This gentleman had no reason to die, none at all,” Folio said. “It’s quite appalling, quite frankly. I have evidence that for months before this gentleman was placed in a whirlpool to be boiled alive, that their maintenance team knew and their nursing staff knew that the water temperature at this location was around 134 degrees.”

Recent History Of Too Hot Water 

In December 2023, the month leading up to the incident, temperature readings were 126 degrees at its lowest on Dec. 21, 2023. The highest temperature recorded in December was 140 degrees and the water was that temperature on Dec. 6, 13, 14 and 22.

“The temperature, by regulation generally speaking, is supposed to be maintained by the facility,” Whitmore said. “If they are not in compliance with it, the facility would have the responsibility of coming into compliance. So that doesn’t always mean that they report it to us as a deficiency. It’s if you are running a facility and you see a problem, you are expected to fix it prior to us. There’s no mandated reporting.”

There were three Facility Reportable Incidents reported on Jan. 4 at Hopemont Hospital. The first was the report of the resident’s burns.

“Imagine being in water at that temperature for 47 minutes,” Folio said. “You’re elderly, you have dementia and you’re nonverbal. He couldn’t even scream for help, because he was nonverbal. They abandoned him while the staff members are out there in the hallway, surfing the internet on their phones.”

Needs Not Addressed Quickly

The second incident report stated that the registered nurse did not assess or treat the resident with severe burns timely. According to the report, the registered nurse (RN) was suspended in addition to the nurse aide.

According to the statement of one of the health service workers, the patient was left in the empty tub for a while after the incident before staff moved the patient to his room.

“I decided he needed to be moved to his room via wheelchair because he was ripping his skin off his legs by rubbing them together and ripping the skin off his feet by rubbing them on the drain,” the statement reads. “We put him to bed and placed wet rags on his burns and stayed with him trying to keep him comfortable waiting to see what was going to happen.”

Emergency Medical Service records referenced in the report show no one called 911 until 8:54 p.m. The resident was taken to the tub room at 7:12 p.m.

According to the Nursing Home Administrator’s statement, he went to the nurse’s station after watching the resident writhing in pain and advised the RN that the resident needed pain management immediately.

Regulatory Guidelines Not Met

A third facility-reported incident dated Jan. 4, 2024 stated the maintenance supervisor had been monitoring water temperatures for over six months, which did not meet regulatory guidelines. The Maintenance Supervisor failed to report the temperatures or attempt to make any changes to meet regulatory compliance. The report said he was aware of the guidelines for water temperature and chose to keep it warmer per staff request.

Hopemont Hospital was surveyed by a team from the Office of the Inspector General from Jan. 9, 2024 to Jan. 12, 2024 and had 44 residents.

On Jan. 11, 2024, Hopemont Hospital adopted a bathing policy which includes taking water temperatures prior to individual resident bathing to ensure a temperature of no higher than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and supervision of residents during bathing to prevent harm.

A Painful Death

A report from the local hospital where the resident was transferred revealed the resident had third-degree burns to bilateral lower extremities and feet, left hand, bilateral buttocks and scrotum. The estimated surface area of the burns was 35 percent of his body.

The report concludes with the man being transferred to Preston Memorial Hospital for emergency care, then transported to a neighboring state burn center, but he succumbed to his injuries according to Disability Rights of West Virginia.

A spokesperson for the state health department told West Virginia Watch the department fired four nurses, including three contract employees, who were involved in the patient’s death.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

Justice Calls For More CPS Reporting, Funding In Wake Of Child’s Death

Reports surfaced last week of the death of a 14-year-old girl leading to her mother’s arrest. Gov. Jim Justice said Tuesday that this was not a CPS case.

Reports surfaced last week of the death of a 14-year-old girl found emaciated, and of her mother’s subsequent arrest. Gov. Jim Justice said Tuesday that this was not a Child Protective Services (CPS) case.

According to reporting from Eyewitness News, Julie Anne Stone Miller, 49, of Morrisvale in Boone County was arrested and charged with child neglect causing death last week.

The girl’s grandmother told Chief Deputy Mark Abbott that the girl had not attended school since late 2019 or early 2020 and had barely been out of the house in years.

This detail prompted the media to ask Justice during his weekly media briefing if the girl had been homeschooled and if so, why an academic assessment hadn’t brought attention to her condition.

“I think the answer just got to be just one thing,” Justice said. “The CPS folks, from what I understand, [had] no idea about this, about this child, no idea whatsoever.”

Department of Human Services Cabinet Secretary Cynthia Persily released a statement Monday. The press release provided no further information on the minor who passed away, but in the headline, she called the incident a criminal case.

Justice also said more funding for staffing at Child Protective Services was necessary.

“The more money we have, the better we’ll do,” Justice said. “The more workers we’ll have, the absolute better we’ll do. You know, we have got to understand that we’ve got to step up in every way, and try to do more.”

According to the Child Welfare Dashboard, child welfare positions are 88 percent filled in the state. Most vacancies remain in the Child Protective Service Worker category with 78 vacant positions. Earlier this year, the Department of Human Services announced an easing of the staffing shortages.

Justice asked the public to speak up and speak out if they see something suspicious.

“This is a tragedy that, I mean, it’s unthinkable,” Justice said. “I mean, it’s totally unthinkable. But stuff like this happens. And really, and truly, we got a lot of people out there that may have known of this kid, or whatever, this child, and speak up. I mean, yeah, this, really and truly, this is no different than being diligent, you know, in every way, from the standpoint of, you see somebody that looks suspicious, something that may be possibly going on, speak up. Tell us about all this.”

Child Dies In Logan County Walking To Bus Stop

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed, in a press release, that a middle school student was hit and killed by a vehicle this morning just before 7 a.m. in West Logan.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed, in a press release, that a middle school student was hit and killed by a vehicle this morning just before 7 a.m. in West Logan.

The youth, who was not identified, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Logan Regional Medical Center.

The driver of the vehicle told deputies they were unable to see the child while turning from 11th Street from Route 10. 

In a letter to the community Jeff Huffman, superintendent of Logan County Schools, said “There is no greater tragedy than the death of a young person.”

The letter goes on to say counselors have been available at Logan Middle School throughout the day, and will remain in place for as long as necessary, as the community pulls together to process what has happened.  

The incident is still under investigation.

Medal Of Honor Recipient Woody Williams Dead At 98

West Virginians are expressing their grief this morning after learning of the death of Hershel “Woody” Williams, the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient in the nation and native of Quiet Dell, West Virginia.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Updated on Wednesday, June 29 at 3:33 p.m.

West Virginians are expressing their grief this morning after learning of the death of Hershel “Woody” Williams, the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient in the nation and native of Quiet Dell, West Virginia.

Gov. Jim Justice issued the following statement:

“I ask all West Virginians to join Cathy and I in praying for Woody, his family, friends, loved ones, and the entire military community across West Virginia and the United States of America. Pray that, while the weight of this loss is profound, we all will be able to take solace in the fact that Woody’s contributions to our nation inspired generations, cultivated similar bravery, and saved lives. Woody Williams will go down in history as one of the greatest West Virginians who ever lived, and we salute him for everything he gave to our state and our nation.”

Williams was born in the northern West Virginia community of Quiet Dell on October 2, 1923. After Pearl Harbor, he tried to enlist, but was rejected for his height. He was finally accepted into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943 and served with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division on Iwo Jima. He received the nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, for actions on February 23, 1945. With the support of four riflemen, he destroyed seven enemy pill boxes with a flamethrower, saving countless lives of his fellow Marines.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate in my life and during my time as governor to be able to spend a lot of time with Woody Williams over the years,” Justice said. “Woody was a living legend and was the embodiment to the world of what it means to be a West Virginian.”

“But while Woody earned his Medal of Honor by fighting on behalf of America in one of the most important battles in the history of civilization as we know it, we also ought to remember that his service didn’t end when he returned home at the end of that conflict over three-quarters of a century ago. In the decades after, Woody used his platform to lead the charge in another battle: an effort to honor America’s Gold Star families – those whose loved ones paid the ultimate price in defense of our freedoms – through his Woody Williams Foundation. Woody shepherded the construction of 102 Gold Star memorials in all 50 states across America to forever honor everyday Americans who have sacrificed so much. While Woody may be gone from this Earth, his selfless contributions to our state and nation will live on forever.

“Woody was part of what was undoubtedly the greatest generation that ever lived. The bravery displayed by men like Woody Williams across America and throughout West Virginia will likely never be matched, and we have to make sure their sacrifices are never forgotten. There are still many World War II Veterans alive in West Virginia, but they won’t be with us forever. We should all take this as an opportunity to reflect on how much these Veterans mean to us. If you know a World War II Veteran, thank them, love them, talk to them, hear their stories while they’re still with us – it is so important. We need to keep their memories alive because, when the world was at its darkest hour, they were our shining light.”

During the battle of Iwo Jima, Williams displayed “valiant devotion to duty” and service above self as he “enabled his company to reach its objective” according to his Medal of Honor citation. Williams’ actions, commitment to his fellow service members, and heroism were recognized on October 5, 1945, when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Truman at the White House.

To date, Woody and his foundation are responsible for establishing 103 Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments across the United States with more than 73 additional monuments underway in 50 states and 1 U.S. Territory. The first was dedicated in the Donnel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Institute. The monument at the West Virginia State Capitol is the largest.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin joined Justice in remembering Williams:

“Woody Williams was the embodiment of a true American hero. Americans like Woody answered the call to serve our great nation and their sacrifices allow us to enjoy the freedoms we hold dear. Gayle and I are devastated by the loss of our dear friend who meant so much to so many across our great state and entire nation. We join all West Virginians in praying for Woody’s family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.

“Last Sunday, I was honored to visit with Woody one last time. We called VA Secretary Denis McDonough so he could thank Woody directly for his unparalleled service to our nation. In true Woody fashion, he wanted to discuss the importance of completing the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar – his most recent Veterans project – to ensure that the families of our fallen soldiers and Veterans have a safe place to lay their loved ones to rest, protected from the weather throughout the year. I am determined to carry on the legacy of my dear friend by getting the shelter built.

“Woody was a tireless advocate for all Veterans and their family members. Over the years, my staff and I worked with Woody on too many issues to name, including for Gold Star Families, improving our Veterans hospitals and healthcare, and recognizing the contributions of our servicemembers. I will miss riding with Woody during our annual motorcycle ride for Gold Star Families; he was always my wingman. One of my most cherished memories with Woody is traveling to California and Virginia with him when his ship was commissioned and christened. During those moments, Woody showed the world the true nature of being a West Virginian with his humility and grace. As the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient, Woody represented the last of the Greatest Generation. With the passing of Woody, their legacies and honor are laid to rest.”

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito also remembered Williams:

“West Virginia lost one of its proudest sons today, and the United States lost a true hero. I am so sad to learn that my friend Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams, the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, passed away at the age of 98. Woody embodied exactly what the Greatest Generation was all about: Service to country above self. Not only are his acts of valor on the battlefield well-documented, but the lives he touched in the years since serving had a lasting impact on every person he met. He inspired many to love their country, enter the service, and reminded everyone why our ‘nation under God’ is the greatest on earth. One of the best West Virginians we’ve ever known is now gone, but his lifetime of service and incredible legacy will be with us forever.”

U.S. Rep. David McKinley shared a photo with Williams, as well as a short statement, on Twitter:

U.S. Rep. Carol Miller also remembered Williams via Twitter:

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey shared thoughts on Williams’ passing on his personal account:

Maj. Gen. William “Bill” Crane, the Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, issued the following statement:

“The entire West Virginia National Guard is deeply saddened by the loss of Woody and we send our condolences to the family, friends and all those who knew and loved him. For the entirety of his life, Woody has demonstrated valor, humility, kindness and an unwavering dedication to veterans and Gold Star Families. Through his advocacy work with the Woody Williams Foundation, he has impacted thousands upon thousands of lives by advancing the cause for Gold Star Family recognition and numerous veteran’s issues. Woody was a true friend of the West Virginia National Guard and his life inspired so many within our ranks. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Woody and his foundation and for all that he has done for West Virginia, our United States military and for Gold Star Families across the United States. He will forever be an example of the embodiment of West Virginia values and is a hero to not only us, but so many across the country. Our hope is that Woody’s life and service will continue to inspire future generations of West Virginians to serve and serve others for as he would say, ‘The cause is greater than I.” Semper Fi, Woody.”

West Virginia University President Gordon Gee issued the following statement:

“Hershel “Woody” Williams was a gentleman who served his country with tremendous courage and valor, and he devoted his life to honoring the service of others. I was privileged to know Woody and to spend time with a hero from our Greatest Generation whose purpose has served as an inspiration to so many others across our state and nation. And while we grieve his loss, I believe his example will continue to inspire countless future generations. My heartfelt condolences go out to Woody’s family and all who knew and loved him.”

Gee presented Williams with a Presidential honorary degree as part of a virtual presentation during WVU’s December 2021 commencement ceremony.

Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, released the following statement:

“Today, I join with all West Virginians in mourning the death of a true American hero. Woody Williams represented the best of West Virginia – a love for his family, a sense of service to his country, and a dedication to honoring our veterans. While we’ve now lost the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient, his legacy of service above self and love of his country will continue to live through the Gold Star Families memorials his foundation helped build in all 50 states. Woody’s life inspired generations, and I pray for comfort and peace for his family and friends in the coming days as they lay this great man to rest.”

Delegate Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, released the following statement:

“While a grateful state and nation are mourning the loss of a hero and national treasure, so many members of our Cabell County communities are mourning the loss of a friend. Woody Williams earned the honor and respect of the entire nation as a young man at Iwo Jima. He spent the rest of his life demonstrating what it means to be a servant leader. Without regard for position or titles, our friend Woody showed immense respect and kindness to every person he met. He was a humble man, with strength in his convictions and a drive to serve others. He did so day after day, month after month and year after year.

“Woody was passionate about honoring service and sacrifice. That passion led him to requesting laws of the state of West Virginia be changed many times. Woody often wrote letters, sent text messages, emails and certainly called with concerns, suggestions and new ideas. We have a Veterans Hall of Fame because of Woody Williams. We have Medals of Valor, the highest honor the state can bestow upon our first responders, because of Woody. We are most certainly a better state and a better nation because of Woody.

“As Woody sought to honor, comfort and support our Gold Star Families, I ask that we honor, comfort and support his family. For 98 years they shared a loving husband, father and grandfather with our state and our country. May we remain always faithful, just as Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret.) Hershel Woody Williams did, and remember as he often said, ‘the cause is greater than I.’”

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