HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University alum Jeff Heath lost both his parents and godparents in the Nov. 14, 1970 Marshall plane crash.
Heath was the keynote speaker at Saturday’s Fountain Ceremony marking the 56th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed the lives of 75 football team members, staff and boosters.
His parents, Emmett O. Heath and Elaine Heath, and godparents, Dr. Herbert Proctor and Courtney Proctor, were among the 25 fans and boosters on the plane returning from the East Carolina game.
Jeff Heath, a 19-year-old Marshall sophomore at the time, remembered hearing about the crash in a special news report.
“It stated that a plane containing the entire Marshall football team had crashed while attempting to land at the Huntington airport. I was in total shock,” Heath said.
He jumped into his mother’s car and drove to the airport.
“I knew that my mom and dad were on that plane but I didn’t know what to do,” he remembered Saturday.
Heath had three younger siblings, two were still at home. He became the head of the family at 19. He said Saturday the Huntington community helped keep the Heath children together.
“Oh, what a life it is if you have family and friends to support you,” he said. “I can’t say it strong enough how the people of Huntington, young and old, came to our aid, making sure that we walked the straight and narrow.”
Heath, now 75, said a family friend sent him a poem shortly after the tragedy that talked about two people in love dying together. He used part of the poem on the headstone marking his parents’ grave.
“Peace, the lovers are asleep,” Heath said.
His parents were just 42-years-old when they died.
White roses for all 75 victims were laid at the base of the Memorial Fountain as the names of the victims were read once again.
Marshall takes on Appalachian State in the 75 game beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.