“God had to drill that hole.”

In 2010, Greg Hall and his team never expected that they’d pause their work drilling for minerals and switch gears to lead a search and rescue effort after the collapse of a mine where 33 men were underground. This would be a challenging operation by any standards, and it was made worse by poor geological mapping in the area and local rigs that were not long enough to properly explore the depths necessary for this effort.

Facing extreme heat during the day and cold at night, Greg’s team worked around the clock punching holes and searching for signs of life. They began to expect a recovery mission as they feared that too much time had passed for any chance of rescue. Every day, Greg reminded his team that the men stuck below were someone else’s brothers, fathers, and sons.

Then, on day seventeen, they heard banging on their drill pipes from down below and knew they had found survivors. No one expected what happened next.

The miners were able to attach a note to one of the bits as it was brought back to the surface, letting the world know that they were safe and that all 33 of the men were still alive. Tears of joy and praise erupted at the news, breathing new life into the rescue effort. That may have been the first miracle, but the teams at the surface and the men below would need a few more.

There was an incredible danger in the drilling that awaited the teams, and they needed to proceed with caution in creating a pathway for the men to use for their eventual escape. Greg’s team devised Plan B and faced countless impossible moments of drilling. He and other drilling experts agreed that what they ultimately completed was an impossible hole that only God could have drilled. All 33 miners were reunited with family in a beautiful celebration on the surface just 6 weeks after being discovered alive.

When asked if this miracle job strengthened his faith, Greg replied, “My faith strengthened the job.” Greg turned to prayer throughout the entire journey, and his leadership helped many to keep hope alive.

I had the opportunity to meet Greg about a month after the rescue operations were completed. He was brought onto the field at halftime of an Aggie football game and recognized for his incredible work in saving the lives of those 33 men. I realized that my tickets to the Aggie football games were one section over from his, and so the next week I went over to shake his hand and thank him for his work.

I loved learning about Greg. He was a very active member at Christ the Redeemer Church in Houston, where he served as an acolyte. The last thing he did before leaving on the rescue mission was to serve at Mass. I took my family back to watch some Aggie football this weekend and took a moment to thank God for Greg as I walked by the spot where I met him 15 years earlier.

Greg passed away in April of 2019 after a battle with cancer. During his time on earth, he utilized his expertise to serve God and others, which makes him a hero on many fronts.

Revisit those rescue moments (or learn about them for the first time) by checking out this flashback video – a moment that one billion people joined in watching when it all first unfolded. 

And join me in praising God for Greg Hall and everyone doing their best to do good for others.

Thank God it’s Monday.