Sago Mine Survivor Shows Signs of Improvement

Jan. 19, 2006 — -- The sole survivor of the Sago Mine disaster, Randal McCloy Jr., is showing signs of improvement and could be moved to a rehabilitation center within days, according to his doctors.

"When you call his name, he does open his eyes. Occasionally he turns his head," said Larry Roberts, director of the trauma center at Ruby Memorial Hospital.

McCloy, 26, was in a coma for two weeks following the mine accident in West Virginia that killed 12 other miners. Doctors now consider McCloy to be in a "light" coma. He remains in serious condition but was moved out of intensive care on Tuesday.

McCloy is still suffering from kidney failure and requires dialysis, but his heart, lung, liver and muscle functions are nearly normal, according to his doctors. He is also breathing on his own and has been able to swallow ice chips.

"We hope to have him out of the hospital and to a rehabilitation facility in the next few days or perhaps next week," said Julian Bailes, chair of neurosurgery at Ruby Memorial Hospital.

Doctors said McCloy tended to show more of a response when his family spoke to him.

The family is "always looking for new signs, perhaps pushing the envelope a little bit and that's great," Roberts said.

On Jan. 6, Anna McCloy, Randal's wife and childhood sweetheart, told "Good Morning America" that her husband responded to the family visits.

"I know that he knows when I'm there because he gets all excited," she said. "And he's trying to lift his eyelids and look at me."

Because McCloy still has a breathing tube down his throat, he is unable to speak.

"If he's trying to make noise, we might not be able to perceive that as of yet," Roberts said.

Bailes and Roberts said they were "cautiously optimistic" about McCloy's recovery, but they didn't want to give any false hope. They said the psychological impact of the accident was still unknown.