Harry Truman was 84 when Mount St. Helens
erupted. Harry Truman owned a guest lodge next to Spirit Lake. It was only
5 miles from the summit. Rowe Findley wrote in the January 1981, National
Geographic in his article " 'He Refused to Leave' " that he felt
that Harry Truman was a mystic. Harry Truman was quoted as saying in that
article " 'I talk to the mountain, the mountain talks to me. I am part
of that mountain, that mountain is part of me.' " On May 18, 1980 Mount
St. Helens erupted violently and Harry's words became reality.
On May 18, 1980 the volcano's summit and debri's buried the guest lodge
and Harry died. He died because he believed that the Mountain would not
erupt, and he did not want to leave his guest lodge next to Spirit Lake.
He did not want to leave the mountain that he was so happy about living
on,so he died for the mountain that he loved.