Schools
UPDATE: St. Michael-Albertville Schools Suffers with Teacher Through Another Tragedy
The school district confirmed that the last two Americans yet to be found from the Italian cruise ship tragedy are the parents of one of its elementary school teachers. Aaron Heil released the family's first statement on the accident today.
UPDATE 11:31 a.m., Jan. 17: Media outlets, including FOX 9 in the Twin Cities, are reporting Italian rescue crews heard the voice of a man and a woman inside the cruise ship earlier today. It's not known who made the pleas for help, or if they've been rescued.
Rescuers are using explosives, carefully, to reach different parts of the Concordia, which is lying in the water on its side.
Those crews have pulled five bodies from the ship today, bringing the death toll to 11. An estimated 24 passengers are still missing, including St. Michael teacher Aaron Heil's parents, Gerald and Barbara Heil, of White Bear Lake.
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Still stinging from less than four months ago, the s in shock once again, as it can only watch as another teacher suffers through an apparent tragedy.
Find out what's happening in St. Michaelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
first grade teacher Aaron Heil is still waiting for word from his parents, Gerald (Jerry) and Barbara Heil, of White Bear Lake. They are two of the 29 passengers missing after the wreck of the cruise liner off the coast of Italy Friday, Jan. 13.
According to the Associated Press, the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which was carrying 4,200 people, including 120 Americans, ran aground when it hit rocks on Friday night near the island of Giglio off the Italian coast, and ended resting on its side.
“The school district can confirm that the couple are Aaron’s parents, and that the family has asked for privacy at this time,” said Dr. Jim Behle, superintendent of STMA schools.
In his first year, Behle has now guided this district through the sudden ; the senseless murder of Timothy Larson, a beloved middle school special education teacher; a lockdown due to a bank robbery near the district’s transportation contractor … and now this.
Behle said the district is supporting Heil as he deals with the situation. There is leave provided for teachers in instances such as this, he added.
School was not in session Monday as details unfolded about the White Bear Lake couple.
According to an article that appeared on the Huffington Post, Aaron Heil gave the Associated Press a statement from the family.
"We are waiting patiently for the rescuers to safely try to find our parents," it said. "Our prayers and thoughts are with our parents; those others that are still missing and their families; and the brave rescuers. We are working closely with the U.S. Embassy in Italy and are confident that everything is being done to find our parents."
Sarah Heil, the Heil’s daughter, told WBBM radio in Chicago that her parents had been looking forward to their 16-day vacation.
"They raised four kids and sent them all to private school, elementary to college, so they never had any money," Sarah Heil said. "So when they retired, they went traveling. And this was to be a big deal–a 16-day trip. They were really excited about it."
Twin Cities NBC affiliate KARE 11 led off its 6 p.m. news Monday, Jan. 16, with the Heil’s story. The couple was very involved in the Catholic church in the White Bear Lake community, and had saved for this retirement journey. Jerry, a retired state employee, was proud he would be visiting Rome.
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