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During a recent visit to Troedyrhiw Primary School, Gareth Jones shared his extraordinary experience of surviving the Aberfan disaster with a group of children. The emotional moment took a surprising turn when 10-year-old Noah raised his hand, holding a photograph and asking if Gareth recognized the man in the picture. “The hairs were standing on the back of my neck,” Gareth recalled. The image was of Noah’s great-grandfather, Stephen Andrew—the very man who had rescued Gareth amidst the chaos of that tragic day.
The Aberfan disaster was a catastrophic landslide that claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults when a colliery spoil tip collapsed onto Pantglas Junior School in Merthyr Tydfil. Gareth vividly remembers the moment he was saved: “There was a guy at the other side of the window. He actually grabbed me and told me to run.” That life-saving figure turned out to be Stephen, the school caretaker who pulled Gareth to safety through a shattered classroom window. Until this encounter with Noah, Gareth had never seen a photograph of his rescuer.
Stephen Andrew’s heroism was coupled with heartbreaking personal loss. On the morning of the tragedy, he had started the school’s heating system before briefly returning home for tea with his wife and newborn daughter. He then rushed back to the school to help. Although he managed to save several children, including Gareth, Stephen’s two sons, Kelvin and Malcolm, were tragically among the 116 children who perished under the debris. Noah, who grew up hearing stories of his great-grandfather’s bravery, expressed pride in Stephen’s actions despite the family’s devastating sacrifices.
The visit took place as schools in Wales and around the world prepare to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster on October 21. Noah’s classmates listened with rapt attention as Gareth described how what began as a normal school day quickly descended into horror. The children asked questions about the terrifying noise, the crumbling walls, and the aftermath. Reflecting on the loss of many friends that day, one pupil, Caelan, aged 10, said, “That was really scary… Not having your friends to go out with… I was thinking, what would I do if it happened to me?” This poignant interaction highlighted the enduring impact of Aberfan on survivors and the local community alike
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