I’m William Dilley, I was camping with neighbors when this tragic event unfortunately happened. We thought we were safe but the big clouds of ashes kept approaching. There were people camping on the other side of us, but unfortunately they didn't make it. Martha is my neighbor and her and I were sent out here to investigate the mountain. We were there for a week, the day we were supposed to leave. May 18th, 1980, is the day the mountain erupted. 8:32 a.m. we were awoken to the sound of a loud boom. Martha and I jumped up and ran outside to see what was wrong. Big clouds of ashes were arising from the top of Mount. St. Helens. We tried to pack everything up. But every minute the clouds were getting closer. So we hurried up, stuffing everything into the car. As soon as we were done, we hopped in the car like bunny rabbits. Then we heard …show more content…
I’m so lucky I wasn't one of the 57 people who died by this tragic event. Martha and i still remain friends. 2013 we went to go back to Mount. St. Helens to remember our neighbors that passed during this tragic event. We paid our respects and we went to the spot that we were camping at. Every memory jumped back like kangaroos and we cried. This is the most tragic event in Washington, and one of my life's most tragic events. Never going to forget my friends that died because of this mountain. They will always be here to me. The collapse was the largest ever recorded. If we had been 5 yards either way we would of been dead. But thank god we didn't because I didn't want to leave my family. So glad I didn't have to I don't know what my daughters would do without me. It haunts me to this day to look at pictures of this tragic event or even to go back to the spot we were camping at. Everything haunts me even the three words, Mount. St. Helens. We learned so much from this event, like we have to take these threats seriously and we have to prepare for them because they are going to