KELLOGG, Idaho — Kellogg residents said losing 24-year-old Noah Dinger is a loss felt by all of Silver Valley.
"I just wanted it to be a bad dream," family friend Rachel Meyer said. "And the impact that it has on not just them, but like and his family. So it's just really, really sad and not anything I would ever wish on anybody."
Meyer said she's been best friends with Noah's mom for at least five years. She said their friendship has grown to where she considers the Dingers as family.
"If there's anything they need, I'm here for them," Meyer said. "And whether it's to vent or to cry, or to just sit in silence. I'll just be there for my friends and they're my family."
Noah's death is especially felt by the ones who loved him most. That includes his wife, Kaylei, and two sons who are three and one.
KREM2 spoke with Kaylei who shared that she's working through tremendous pain, following the death of her husband.
Meyer explained the two had been married just a few months.
"She was really, really lucky to have such a hands-on husband and father," Meyer said. "He was never one to shy away from changing a diaper or picking up his kid if he needed his 'owie' kissed or if he wanted to play monster trucks or catch or anything. They spent every time he was home, all their time together."
While the surviving Dingers will be navigating their lives without Noah, Meyer said she's sure his memory will not be forgotten.
"It breaks my heart that those little boys aren't going to get to grow up with their dad, but they'll always know who he is, he will never not be talked about,” Meyer said.
Heather McDowell with Sibanye-Stillwater, the company that owns the Montana mine, told KREM 2 Noah was found unresponsive around 1 a.m. in the mine Monday.
McDowell said Noah was a Moran Mining contract worker who had been prepping an area for future mining when a rotating machine hit him.
Following the incident, all production came to a halt. McDowell said workers took time for a 'safety standdown' to focus on safety protocols. She said work didn't resume until Tuesday.
McDowell also expressed her condolences for the family and the workers impacted by the death. She said grief and trauma counselors have been made available to miners at Stillwater since the incident.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
A statement from the U.S. Department of Labor to KREM2 reads, "The Mine Safety and Health Administration is conducting an ongoing investigation. MSHA’s immediate priority in these situations is to ensure miners are safe while the mine operator addresses any hazards that may exist. Once the agency determines all miners are safe, their role is to review and approve the operator’s plans to further mitigate the hazards associated with the incident."
Meyer said Noah comes from generations of miners. He said it's likely Noah got into the profession because of his grandfather and father.
"His son was his best friend," Meyer said. "And he would say like 'you and me against the world,' and that was kind of their motto. Any parent would be heartbroken to lose their child but he is especially heartbroken.”
KREM2 also spoke with Noah's mother, Angela, who said her emotions are high as she processes a world without her son.
Meyer said the family will likely host a celebration of life for Noah soon.
She said she'll always remember Noah's great sense of humor, loving nature and ability to make everyone want to be his friend.
A verified GoFundMe has been created to raise money on behalf of the surviving family members.
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