We'll Meet Again

ANN CURRY, VOICE-OVER: A YOUNG STUDENT CAUGHT UP IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS NATURAL DISASTERS.

MAN, ON RECORDING: THE WHOLE NORTHWEST SIDE IS RIGHT DOWN.

WOMAN: IT LOOKED LIKE A NUCLEAR BOMB HAD GONE OFF, LIKE YOU'RE ON A DIFFERENT PLANET.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SHE KNOWS SHE WOULDN'T BE ALIVE TODAY IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE ACTIONS OF ONE MAN.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY "THANK YOU."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AND A YOUNG WOMAN WHO SUFFERED THE FULL FORCE OF THE MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTION.

IT GOT SO HOT, BRUCE SAID, "WE'RE GONNA DIE."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TRYING TO TRACE THE MILITARY PILOT WHO RISKED HIS OWN LIFE TO SAVE HERS.

AND YOU'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT.

MMM, NOT FOR A MINUTE.

NOPE.

CHARLIE PUTH: WE'VE COME A LONG WAY ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE TIDES OF HISTORY HAVE THROWN STRANGERS TOGETHER... PUTH: I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN AND TORN LOVED ONES APART.

PUTH: WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN NOW THE SEARCH IS ON... WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER.

OH, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

OH.

OH.

TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.

LOOK AT YOU!

I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU.

PUTH: WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN ON MAY 18, 1980, THE WORLD WATCHED AS MOUNT ST. HELENS IN WASHINGTON STATE SUDDENLY ERUPTED WITH TERRIFYING FORCE.

DEBRIS, MOLTEN ROCK, AND BOILING GAS TORE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AT 600 MILES PER HOUR.

IT WAS THE MOST DEADLY VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN U.S. HISTORY...

BUT LIVES WERE ALSO SAVED THANKS TO TRUE HEROES.

AND FEW KNOW BETTER THAN TWO WOMEN WHO WERE THERE.

THIS WAS THE DAY BEFORE... ANN, VOICE-OVER: ONE OF THEM WAS YOUNG SCIENTIST MINDY BRUGMAN.

IN EARLY 1980, AS PART OF HER Ph.D., MINDY WAS MONITORING THE GLACIERS ON MOUNT ST. HELENS IN WASHINGTON STATE.

MINDY: I GREW UP AROUND THIS MOUNTAIN, AND IT SEEMED LIKE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY BEING PART OF A TEAM THAT'S LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BECAUSE OF MINDY'S WORK ON THE MOUNTAIN, SHE WAS CAUGHT IN ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST GEOLOGICAL DISASTERS.

[LOUD RUMBLING] AFTER LYING DORMANT FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, MOUNT ST. HELENS SUDDENLY AWOKE IN MARCH 1980.

THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ERUPTION WAS SOON HEADLINE NEWS.

MINDY WAS JOINED BY SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD EAGER TO STUDY THE VOLCANO.

THE QUIET LITTLE MOUNTAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE THAT I HAD STUDIED WAS SUDDENLY THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ONE SCIENTIST STOOD OUT FROM THE CROWD.

AT JUST 30 YEARS OLD, DR. DAVID JOHNSTON WAS ALREADY AN EXPERT IN HIS FIELD.

WORKING FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, HE HAD STUDIED AND LIVED THROUGH EXPLOSIVE ERUPTIONS.

HE WAS ALL TOO AWARE THAT MOUNT ST. HELENS WAS A TICKING TIME BOMB.

MINDY: HIS MAIN FOCUS WAS ON GETTING THE SCIENCE DONE AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE.

HE KNEW HOW EXPLOSIVE THIS MOUNTAIN WAS.

HE WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.

HE JUST KNEW THERE WAS NO TIME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE AREA WAS HIT BY THOUSANDS OF TREMORS.

BY LATE APRIL, 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE ERUPTION, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF ENORMOUS PRESSURE BUILDING INSIDE THE MOUNTAIN.

A HUGE BULGE HAD FORMED ON THE NORTH FACE, AND IT WAS SLOWLY GETTING BIGGER.

MINDY: THE FRONT FACE BECAME BLACKER BECAUSE IT WAS WET.

AND SO WE CALLED IT "THE BLACK BULGE."

IT LOOKED LIKE A BALLOON READY TO POP.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: VERY FEW PEOPLE BELIEVED THE BULGE WOULD ACTUALLY BURST, BUT THE ONE MAN WHO UNDERSTOOD MOUNT ST. HELENS BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE KNEW DIFFERENTLY.

DAVID JOHNSTON APPEARED ON LOCAL TELEVISION TO WARN OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF A VOLCANIC BLAST.

IF THERE'S AN EXPLOSION, IT'S PROBABLE THAT THE DEBRIS, THE VERY HOT INCANDESCENT ASH, WOULD COME DOWN.

IT WOULD COME DOWN ALL SIDES.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A VERY GREAT HAZARD, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE GLACIER'S BREAKING UP ON THIS SIDE OF THE VOLCANO, ON THE NORTH SIDE, AND THAT COULD PRODUCE A VERY LARGE AVALANCHE HAZARD.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ON APRIL 30th, 18 DAYS BEFORE THE ERUPTION, WASHINGTON GOVERNOR DIXY LEE RAY AGREED TO PLACE A SAFETY CORDON AROUND THE VOLCANO.

RESIDENTS LIVING INSIDE THE SO-CALLED "RED ZONE" WERE TO BE EVACUATED.

BUT MANY LOCAL PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES REFUSED TO TAKE THE THREAT SERIOUSLY.

WOMAN: WELL, THE TOURISTS COME TO SEE HER SMOKE AND THEY ALL THINK IT'S ONE BIG JOKE THAT MOUNTAIN'S JUST A MOLEHILL IN DISGUISE MINDY: YEAH, SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS A FUSS ABOUT NOTHING.

THE LOGGING PEOPLE WANTED TO LOG.

FISHERMEN WANTED TO GO TO THEIR FAVORITE FISHING PLACES.

YOU COULD GET PRETTY UPSET IF SOMEBODY TOOK AWAY YOUR BACKYARD.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TO COLLECT EVIDENCE THAT THE DANGER WAS REAL, DAVID AND HIS COLLEAGUES TOOK TURNS MONITORING THE VOLCANO.

THEIR OBSERVATION POINT AT COLDWATER RIDGE WAS WELL INSIDE THE RED ZONE, JUST 6 MILES FROM THE CRATER.

ON MAY 17, 1980, THE DAY BEFORE THE ERUPTION, MINDY GOT CLEARANCE TO VISIT THE OBSERVATION POINT.

MINDY: I'D BEEN TRYING TO GET UP ON THE MOUNTAIN, TRYING TO GET PERMISSION TO MEASURE THE GLACIERS.

AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING!

YOU GET DRAWN INTO THE EXCITEMENT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE SCIENTIST ON DUTY THAT DAY WAS DAVID JOHNSTON.

MINDY: HE WAS THERE, SO IT PROBABLY WAS SAFE ENOUGH, IN MY YOUNG MIND.

YOU THINK IT'S NOT GONNA HIT YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: DETERMINED TO CONTINUE HER STUDIES, MINDY WANTED TO CAMP OVERNIGHT, BUT DAVID REFUSED TO LET HER STAY.

HE KNEW THE MOUNTAIN COULD BLOW AT ANY TIME.

HE TOLD ME THAT IT IS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO STAY THERE ON THE RIDGE.

I'M SURE HE THOUGHT, "IF I'M TELLING THEM TO LEAVE... WHY AM I HERE?"

BUT IT WAS A DUTY.

I THINK THE DUTY KEPT HIM THERE.

I FELT FRUSTRATED THAT I COULDN'T GET THE RESEARCH DONE, BUT I KNEW I DON'T KNOW AS MUCH AS THESE GUYS.

THEY KNOW MORE.

I BELIEVE WE LEFT AROUND 8: 00 AT NIGHT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: DAVID'S INSISTENCE THAT MINDY SHOULD LEAVE WOULD SAVE HER LIFE.

7 MILES FURTHER NORTH, ANOTHER GROUP WAS BUSY MAKING CAMP FOR THE NIGHT.

21-YEAR-OLD SUE NYSTROM, HER BOYFRIEND BRUCE, AND THEIR FRIENDS HAD BROUGHT THEIR DOGS ON A WEEKEND TRIP TO THE NATIONAL FOREST SURROUNDING MOUNT ST. HELENS.

SEE THIS?

ASH.

37 YEARS LATER, IT'S STILL HERE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THEIR CAMPSITE WAS AT LEAST 2 MILES OUTSIDE THE RED ZONE.

SUE HAD NO IDEA THAT THE NEXT 24 HOURS WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE FOREVER.

SUE: IT WAS PERFECT-- WARM WEATHER, BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKY-- AND WE WERE SO EXCITED TO GET OUT FOR OUR FIRST CAMPING TRIP.

THERE WERE 6 OF YOU.

THERE WERE 6 OF US.

SO, MYSELF, BRUCE, AND TERRY AND KAREN WENT IN ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

AND THEN BRIAN AND DAN DROVE IN AND MET US ON SATURDAY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ON THE MORNING OF SUNDAY, MAY 18th, SUE WAS UP EARLY TO MAKE THE MOST OF HER DAY.

SUE: THAT MORNING WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.

I WAS STARTING BREAKFAST.

I HAD THE COFFEE POT ON.

THE FIRE WAS GOING.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SUDDENLY, AT 8:32 A.M... [LOUD RUMBLING] A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE HIT THE MOUNTAIN, TRIGGERING THE BIGGEST LANDSLIDE IN RECORDED HISTORY.

IT BURST THE BULGE ON THE NORTH FACE OF MOUNT ST. HELENS, UNLEASHING THE TREMENDOUS FORCES THAT HAD BEEN BUILDING UP INSIDE.

THE BLAST SHOT SIDEWAYS, RIPPING OFF THE SUMMIT AND THE WHOLE NORTH FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

AND NOW IT WAS MOVING TOWARDS SUE'S CAMP AT 600 MILES AN HOUR.

SUE: WE ALL LOOKED ALONG THE RIDGE, AND THERE WAS A LITTLE THING OF BLACK SMOKE THAT WITHIN 20 SECONDS, IT PRACTICALLY FILLED THE HORIZON.

SOMETHING HAPPENED, AND IT WAS COMING AT US REALLY FAST.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE MASSIVE BLAST OF ROCK DEBRIS AND BOILING GAS THAT HAD EXPLODED FROM THE MOUNTAIN WAS NOW PULVERIZING EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH.

40 MILES AWAY, AT USGS HEADQUARTERS IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, AN URGENT RADIO TRANSMISSION CAME IN FROM DAVID JOHNSTON.

MINDY: HE SAID, "VANCOUVER, VANCOUVER, THIS IS IT."

I'M SURE HE WOULD HAVE SAID IT IN EXCITEMENT AND DUTY, UM... AND THEN KNOWING IT WAS HIS LAST THING HE'D PROBABLY SAY... ANN, VOICE-OVER: AT JUST 6 MILES FROM THE SOURCE OF THE BLAST, DAVID DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE.

THE VOLCANIC WAVE HIT HIS CAMP, LEAVING NOTHING BUT DEVASTATION IN ITS WAKE.

[LOUD RUMBLING] THE UNSTOPPABLE SUPERHEATED CLOUD OF VOLCANIC ROCK THEN CONTINUED NORTH TOWARDS SUE AND HER FRIENDS.

BRUCE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND ME, AND IT HIT.

[LOUD CRACKING] TWO TREES UPROOTED THEMSELVES... [LOUD CRACKING] AND WE KIND OF FELL DOWN IN THE ROOT.

IT GOT SO HOT, BRUCE SAID, "WE'RE GONNA DIE."

AND I SAID, "WELL, WE'RE NOT DEAD YET.

JUST HANG ON."

AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ASH ENVELOPED US, AND IT TURNED FROM DAY TO NIGHT.

[THUNDER] ANN, VOICE-OVER: AS MORE THAN HALF A BILLION TONS OF ASH WAS RAINING DOWN OVER 11 STATES, IT PLUNGED THE REGION AND SUE'S CAMP INTO DARKNESS.

[HORSE NICKERS] SUE: IT STAYED BLACK.

WE COULDN'T SEE EACH OTHER.

HOW CLOSE WERE YOU TO BRUCE?

HUGGING CLOSE.

YOU WERE HUGGING BRUCE AND YOU COULDN'T SEE HIM?

YEAH.

UH-UH.

IT WAS DARK BLACK.

IT CLEARED UP ENOUGH THAT WE COULD SEE, AND THAT'S WHEN I THOUGHT, "WE ARE IN REAL TROUBLE."

THE CAMPSITE HAD COMPLETELY CHANGED.

IT WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE.

I REMEMBER I WAS CALLING FOR MY DOG.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS TRAPPED OR IF SHE WAS HURT, BUT I COULD HEAR HER...

CRYING THE WHOLE TIME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MIRACULOUSLY, SUE FOUND HER DOGS SAFE AND SOUND...

BUT HER FRIENDS WERE NOT SO LUCKY.

TERRY AND KAREN WERE MISSING.

DAN WAS SO BADLY BURNED, HIS FINGERS WERE FUSED TOGETHER.

AND BRIAN HAD BEEN LEFT WITH A CRUSHED HIP AND A BROKEN LEG AND NO HOPE OF WALKING TO SAFETY.

SUE AND BRUCE NEEDED TO GET HELP FAST.

SUE: WE CARRIED BRIAN TO AN OLD MINER'S SHACK.

AND HE LOOKED IN MY EYES, AND HE SAID, "PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME."

AND I SAID, "BRIAN, I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU."

AND THAT WAS THE HARDEST THING TO DO, TO LEAVE A FRIEND LIKE THAT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WHILE SUE AND BRUCE SEARCHED FOR HELP... MINDY BRUGMAN WAS WITNESSING THE DISASTER UNFOLD FROM THE SCIENTISTS' HEADQUARTERS IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON.

THE RADIOS WERE BLARING AND PHONES WERE RINGING.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE BLAST HAD COMPLETELY ENGULFED DAVID JOHNSTON'S OBSERVATION POINT.

THEY COULDN'T REACH HIM AND FEARED THE WORST.

THEY KEPT HOPING THEY COULD GET HIM, BUT THEY JUST KNEW DAVE WAS DEAD.

WE JUST PUT OUR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER AND... ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE TEAM HAD JUST LOST THE SCIENTIST WHO HAD KNOWN ONLY TOO WELL THE DANGERS OF THE VOLCANO AND WHOSE WARNINGS HAD SAVED MINDY FROM THE SAME FATE AS HIS.

AND THEN THIS SHOT...

THIS IS THE MOMENT...

THERE YOU ARE.

YEAH.

I'M REALIZING THAT I ALMOST DIED UP THERE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: 57 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTION.

BUT WITHOUT DAVID JOHNSTON RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN'S DANGERS AND INSISTING ON A RED ZONE, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THE NUMBER OF DEATHS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE THOUSANDS.

THE TRAGEDY FRAMED THE REST OF MINDY'S LIFE.

TODAY, SHE'S A METEOROLOGIST AND INSPIRED BY DAVID'S DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SHE'S MADE IT HER MISSION TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE THROUGH EARLY FORECASTING.

I BELIEVE DAVID JOHNSTON SAVED MY LIFE, WHEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN UP THERE MAY 18th, BUT I WASN'T.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW, AFTER DECADES OF THINKING BACK ON THE DISASTER THAT MADE HER REALIZE HER OWN MORTALITY, MINDY WANTS TO REACH OUT TO DAVID'S LOVED ONES.

IT MAY SEEM SILLY, BUT IF I COULD SEE PEOPLE HE LOVED AND LOVED HIM, I WOULD SAY, "YOU RAISED AN AWESOME PERSON.

YOUR SIBLING IS AN AWESOME PERSON."

AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY...

THANK YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN THE HOURS AFTER THE ERUPTION, SUE NYSTROM AND HER BOYFRIEND BRUCE LOOKED FOR HELP, STRUGGLING THROUGH AN UNRECOGNIZABLE LANDSCAPE OF DEEP ASH AND FALLEN TREES.

SUDDENLY, THEY HEARD A VERY WELCOME SOUND.

[HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING] SUE: A HELICOPTER FLEW RIGHT OVER US AND KEPT GOING, AND WE WERE LIKE, FRANTIC THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE US, AND SO WE JUST BEAT THE ASH TO TRY TO RAISE A CLOUD SO THEY WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE.

AND SURE ENOUGH, THEY TURNED BACK.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE PILOT WAS AN OFF-DUTY NATIONAL GUARD OFFICER WHO HAD VOLUNTEERED TO RISK FLYING INTO THE ASH CLOUD TO SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS.

HIS NAME WAS MIKE CAIRNS.

AND INCREDIBLY, HE AND HIS CO-PILOT HAD BEEN FOLLOWING SUE AND BRUCE'S FOOTPRINTS.

THEY STOPPED THE HELICOPTER AND THEN WALKED DOWN TO US.

MIKE CAME UP AND PUT HIS ARMS AROUND ME AND SAID, "WE'RE SO GLAD WE FOUND YOU."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT SUE REFUSED TO BE RESCUED UNTIL MIKE MADE A PROMISE.

WE PRETTY MUCH STOOD THERE AND TOLD HIM WE'RE NOT GETTING ON THE HELICOPTER UNLESS YOU GO BACK IN FOR OUR FRIENDS.

AND HE JUST MADE THE DECISION WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER 'EM, WE'RE GONNA HELP 'EM, WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM.

YOU HEARD MIKE SAY THAT?

YEP, AND THAT'S STUCK WITH ME ALWAYS TO THIS DAY THAT INSTEAD OF FLYING AWAY FROM IT, THEY FLEW INTO IT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MIKE RADIOED FOR A SMALLER CHOPPER THAT COULD MORE EASILY LAND ON THE ROCK TERRAIN AND LED IT TO BRIAN'S LOCATION.

HE THEN LEARNED VIA RADIO THAT DAN HAD ALSO BEEN FOUND.

BOTH WERE BROUGHT TO SAFETY.

BUT SUE'S FRIENDS TERRY AND KAREN HAD BEEN KILLED BY A FALLEN TREE AND WERE LATER FOUND IN EACH OTHER'S ARMS.

AS THE HELICOPTER HEADED FOR SAFETY, MIKE TRIED TO COMFORT SUE.

I REMEMBER JUST REACHING OUT AND TOUCHING US AND SAYING, "IT'S GONNA BE OK." ANN: SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY MIKE TALKED TO YOU-- YEAH.

IS REALLY TOUCHING TO YOU.

AND--WELL, NOT JUST THAT, BUT HE HAD A MISSION AND YET HE STILL TOOK THE TIME TO BE CARING AND GENTLE, AND THAT JUST TOUCHED ME FOREVER.

37 YEARS HAS GONE BY.

OH, GOSH, TIME FLIES.

YOU STILL WOULD LIKE TO MEET HIM.

I WOULD, I WOULD.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'D SAY TO HIM?

THANK YOU, FROM THE VERY, VERY BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I KNOW WHAT YOU PUT ON THE LINE TO COME AND GET US, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU RISKED.

AND YOU'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT.

NOT FOR A MINUTE, NOPE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TO BEGIN HER SEARCH FOR MEMBERS OF DAVID JOHNSTON'S FAMILY, MINDY BRUGMAN IS RETURNING TO VANCOUVER, WHERE SHE AND THE REST OF THE SCIENTISTS STUDYING MOUNT ST. HELENS WERE BASED IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE ERUPTION.

WITH THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THE DISASTER, THE USGS HAS SET UP A PERMANENT VOLCANO MONITORING FACILITY...

THE DAVID A. JOHNSTON CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY.

I THINK IT'S A TERRIFIC THING THAT IT'S NAMED AFTER DAVID.

IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE, AND IT KEEPS HIS MEMORY ALIVE.

HI, MINDY!

HI!

NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

I'M HEATHER.

HI.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: VULCANOLOGIST HEATHER WRIGHT IS PART OF THE TEAM OF SCIENTISTS CONTINUING DAVID'S LEGACY.

THE OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE HOLDS KEY INFORMATION ABOUT DAVID'S WORK ON MOUNT ST. HELENS.

MINDY HOPES TO FIND HER FIRST LEAD HERE.

HEATHER: YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE.

MINDY: YEAH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THIS PHOTO OF DAVID OUTSIDE HIS TRAILER AT THE OBSERVATION POINT WAS TAKEN JUST THE DAY BEFORE HE DIED.

MINDY: HE'S GOT HIS SCRUFFY BLOND HAIR AND BEARD, AND HE'S IN THE MIDDLE OF AN IMPORTANT JOB.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT DAVE HAS A LOG BOOK IN HIS HANDS.

UH-HUH.

THIS IS A PHOTOCOPY OF 1 OF 2 THAT WERE SWAPPED OUT IN ORDER TO KEEP RECORD OF THEM.

UH-HUH.

AND THERE'S QUAKES, LOTS OF QUAKES.

WOKE HIM UP THERE, DIDN'T IT.

MMM.

AND HERE IT SAYS, "THERE'S A NEW STEAMING VENT 100 TIMES..." ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE LOG BOOK IS FULL OF WARNING SIGNS THAT WOULD HAVE LEFT DAVID WITH NO DOUBT ABOUT THE DANGER HE WAS FACING.

THE LAST ENTRY HERE IS JUST ON MAY 17th.

THIS ENTRY ENDS HERE, AND LOG BOOK "A," OF COURSE DOESN'T EXIST BECAUSE IT WAS DESTROYED IN THE ERUPTION.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: DAVID'S OBSERVATIONS ARE A STARK REMINDER OF THE GREAT SACRIFICE HE MADE TO PROTECT OTHERS.

THOUGH IT HASN'T BROUGHT MINDY ANY CLOSER TO FINDING MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, IT HAS MADE HER ALL THE MORE DETERMINED TO THANK THEM.

IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE ERUPTION, HELICOPTER TEAMS FLEW CONTINUOUSLY INTO THE DISASTER ZONE, TRYING TO FIND ANY SURVIVORS.

THE SMALL REGIONAL AIRPORT OF KELSO, 20 MILES WEST OF MOUNT ST. HELENS, BECAME THE HEART OF RESCUE OPERATIONS.

IN ALL, 124 PEOPLE WERE RESCUED, INCLUDING SUE NYSTROM.

THE KELSO AIRPORT IS WHERE WE WERE BROUGHT BACK AFTER THE ERUPTION, SO THE AIRPORT VIRTUALLY IS THE LAST PLACE THAT I SAW MIKE CAIRNS, AND THAT WAS WALKING AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER.

AND I NEVER DID SEE HIM AGAIN.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: 37 YEARS LATER, THE AIRPORT IS SUE'S FIRST STOP IN HER SEARCH FOR MIKE CAIRNS.

[AIRPLANE ENGINE STARTING] THE MOUNT ST. HELENS RESCUE PILOTS CLOCKED A TOTAL OF 550 HOURS FLYING TIME... SUE: THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND THEIR BRAVERY IS STILL TALKED ABOUT.

AND A LOT OF THE GUYS THAT WERE MY MENTORS HAD BEEN UP ON THE MOUNTAIN DURING THE ERUPTION DOING RESCUE MISSIONS.

SOME OF THOSE GUYS WERE ACTUALLY FLYING IN WHILE THE ERUPTION WAS STILL GOING ON.

YES, EXACTLY.

SO THEY WERE FLYING UNDERNEATH THE ASH CLOUD AS IT WAS BLOWING OVERHEAD-- YEAH.

AND THEY TALKED ABOUT CHUNKS OF THE MOUNTAIN AND THE GLACIER SIZE OF HOUSES FLYING OVER THE TOP OF THEM AS THEY WERE FLYING IN.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: CONDITIONS WERE SO DANGEROUS, AUTHORITIES COULDN'T ORDER THEIR PILOTS TO FLY.

IT WAS ONLY THANKS TO BRAVE VOLUNTEERS LIKE MIKE CAIRNS THAT IMMEDIATE RESCUE OPERATIONS COULD TAKE PLACE.

WITH THICK ASH SEVERELY IMPAIRING CHOPPER ENGINES AND REDUCING VISIBILITY TO ZERO, ONE FALSE MOVE COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL.

THEY PICKED THE ONE TINY, FLAT SPOT ON THE WHOLE HILLSIDE TO LAND.

RANDALL: IT'S REAL EASY TO LOSE ORIENTATION AND JUST LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

WHAT HE DID WAS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.

WHEN WE LANDED, I WAS SO GRATEFUL THAT I FELT NUMB AS WELL.

THAT'S THE LAST TIME I SAW MIKE CAIRNS.

THEY WERE OFF AND RUNNING, AND WE WERE, TOO.

SO THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HIM, YOU DIDN'T REALLY GET TO SAY IN THE WAY YOU WANTED TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE.

NO.

UH-UH.

SO, HOW--HOW DID THAT SIT WITH YOU IN TERMS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO-- IT WAS LIKE-- [SNIFFS] UNRESOLVED.

I THINK I JUST HAD THIS, LIKE, CONNECTION WITH THIS PERSON THAT WAS SO KIND AND SO CARING AND, UM, MY IDEA OF WHAT A REAL HERO IS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BECAUSE KELSO AIRPORT WAS SO CRUCIAL TO THE MOUNT ST. HELENS RESCUE OPERATION, SUE IS HOPING THE AIRPORT AUTHORITIES MIGHT PROVIDE A LEAD TO GET HER SEARCH STARTED.

YEAH, WE JUST DON'T NORMALLY KEEP RECORDS OF FLIGHTS AND STUFF.

RIGHT.

40 YEARS AGO.

WELL, I KNOW.

I KNEW IT WAS A LONG SHOT, BUT I HAD TO TRY.

YOU MIGHT TRY THE NATIONAL GUARD ARCHIVES.

OK?

OK. GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

OK. BYE.

BYE.

SUE: I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING HERE.

I'M HOPING THAT SOME CONTACT WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD AVIATION MIGHT BE ABLE TO DIRECT ME FORWARD, GIVE ME A PLACE TO GO, SOMEONE TO CONTACT, SOMEBODY TO CALL.

FINGERS CROSSED.

MAN: AS MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, WE HAD A MAJOR ERUPTION OCCURRING AT 8:32, APPROXIMATELY, THIS MORNING ON MOUNT ST. HELENS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WHILE SUE PURSUES HER SEARCH, MINDY IS HOPING THAT THE MEDIA COVERAGE THAT SURROUNDED THE MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTION MIGHT HELP HER FIND DAVID JOHNSTON'S FAMILY.

ONE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THE "COLUMBIAN," FOLLOWED THE STORY CLOSELY.

REPORTER TOM RYLL COVERED IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

MINDY: HOW LONG HAD YOU BEEN AT THE "COLUMBIAN"?

I WAS ALL OF 25 YEARS OLD.

I'D BEEN THERE JUST 3 YEARS.

UH-HUH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AND TOM HAS A CLEAR MEMORY OF DAVID JOHNSTON WARNING EVERYONE ABOUT THE VOLCANO'S IMPENDING DANGER.

THIS STORY IS FROM MARCH 28th OF 1980.

SOME OF US--A NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS TRAVELED TO AN AREA THAT WAS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, AND THAT WAS WHERE DAVID JOHNSTON APPEARED.

I COULD SEE HIM DOING THAT.

THE LAST THING HE'D WANT IS A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOU MAKING IT SEEM LIKE IT'S SAFE.

WE REGARDED IT AS SOMETHING ALMOST SORT OF A JOKE.

HE SHOWS UP AND TELLS US, "THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS."

HE HAD A GREAT COMMENT THERE.

HE SAID THAT "WE'RE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO A KEG OF DYNAMITE.

THE FUSE IS LIT.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT IS."

[LOUD RUMBLING] ANN, VOICE-OVER: ON MAY 18th, THE "COLUMBIAN" WAS ON THE FRONT LINE COVERING THE ERUPTION AND THE CHAIN OF DISASTERS THAT FOLLOWED: THE SPREAD OF ASH THAT STRANDED THOUSANDS OF MOTORISTS... MAN: GET OFF THE BRIDGE!

THE FLOODS CAUSED BY THE MELTING OF THE MOUNTAIN'S GLACIERS...

WHICH DESTROYED HUNDREDS OF HOMES... AND THE MUDSLIDES THAT GROUNDED OCEANGOING FREIGHTERS.

PAUL: THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS DIED, MILLIONS OF BOARD FEET OF TIMBER WERE DESTROYED.

IT WAS LIKE THE THESAURUS SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH RANGE AND DEPTH TO PROVIDE US WITH THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT WAS SO UNBELIEVABLE.

SO THIS ARTICLE NAMES DAVID JOHNSTON AS ONE OF THE FIRST OF THE FEW THAT THEY KNOW WERE MISSING.

THIS STORY WAS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT ONE TO REPORT THAT DAY.

HE WANTED YOU GUYS TO BE SAFE, AND THERE YOU ARE HAVING TO REPORT THAT HE'S DEAD.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: KNOWING MINDY IS LOOKING FOR LEADS TO FIND DAVID'S FAMILY, TOM HAS DONE SOME DIGGING.

SOMETHING I RAN ACROSS.

THIS IS FROM A NEWSPAPER IN ILLINOIS, WHERE DAVID JOHNSTON GREW UP, AND THIS WAS PUBLISHED IN JUST 2016-- STORY ABOUT GEOLOGIST DAVID JOHNSTON LOSING HIS LIFE ON MAY 18, 1980.

THEY CALL HIM AN "UNAPOLOGETIC NERD."

HE WAS BORN IN CHICAGO, AND HIS FATHER WAS AN ENGINEER?

THAT'S INTERESTING.

AND HIS MOTHER WAS A JOURNALIST.

AND HE GRADUATED WITH THE HIGHEST HONORS.

THAT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS FROM ILLINOIS.

THIS MIGHT HELP ME FIND HIS FAMILY, IF THEY'RE STILL AROUND THERE.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, AS IT MENTIONS HERE, HIS FATHER DIED IN 2009, AND HIS MOTHER, ALICE JOHNSTON, DIED IN 2005.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: DESPITE THIS DISAPPOINTING NEWS, MINDY NOW HAS A SMALL LEAD, SOMEWHERE TO LOOK FOR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS-- DAVID'S BIRTHPLACE OF ILLINOIS.

THAT'S SAD THAT HIS PARENTS PASSED AWAY.

AT LEAST I KNOW WHERE THE FAMILY WAS FROM.

IT GETS ME CLOSER TO HOW I CAN GET THE INFORMATION.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SUE NYSTROM IS TRYING TO TRACK DOWN NATIONAL GUARDSMAN MIKE CAIRNS, WHO NOT ONLY RESCUED HER FROM THE ERUPTION OF MOUNT ST. HELENS, BUT ALSO INSPIRED HER CAREER AND CHANGED THE COURSE OF HER LIFE.

FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, SUE WENT ON TO SPEND 34 YEARS IN THE NATIONAL GUARD AS AN ENGINEER, SERVING IN A DOZEN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AFGHANISTAN, AND HELPING TO TRAIN MORE THAN 80,000 SERVICE MEMBERS.

ANN: AND YOU WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT HAD IT NOT BEEN-- I DON'T THINK SO.

FOR MIKE.

I DON'T THINK SO, YEAH.

I JUST FIGURED, PAY THAT GOOD KARMA BACK ANY WAY YOU CAN.

YEAH, AND IT WAS A GREAT CAREER.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SUE IS HEADING FOR OLYMPIA, HOME OF THE WASHINGTON STATE ARCHIVES.

SUE: I'VE BEEN WONDERING FOR A LONG TIME HOW HIS LIFE WENT FROM THAT DAY FORWARD.

I KNOW HOW MINE WENT.

BECAUSE OF HIM, IT WENT REALLY WELL.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF MAYBE FINDING SOME MORE SOLID INFORMATION.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE ARCHIVES HERE CONTAIN RECORDS OF RETIRED NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS.

ASSUMING THAT MIKE IS NOW RETIRED FROM SERVICE, SUE HAS MADE AN INQUIRY AND SOMETHING'S COME UP IN THE RESEARCH.

SO WHAT WE'VE BROUGHT OUT FOR YOU TODAY IS THE CAIRNS' DISCHARGE FILE.

OH, IT'S HIS SERVICE RECORD.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE FILES REVEAL THAT MIKE LEFT THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD IN 1985.

WHAT'S MORE, HE WAS A HIGHLY DECORATED PILOT LONG BEFORE HE RESCUED HER.

SO, "AWARDS, DECORATIONS, AND CAMPAIGNS"... OH, OK, SO HE HAS A NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, THE PURPLE HEART.

HE HAD PRIOR SERVICE AS A VIETNAM COMBAT AVIATOR, WHICH IT SAYS UP HERE, AND I ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE HAD INCREDIBLE FLYING SKILLS.

SO I HAVE PROOF.

NOT EVERYBODY WOULD RETURN HOME FROM VIETNAM AND TURN AROUND AND SIGN RIGHT BACK UP, AND SO THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HIS CHARACTER RIGHT THERE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE FILE ALSO LISTS THE ACCOLADES MIKE RECEIVED FOR SAVING LIVES ON MOUNT ST. HELENS.

LOOK AT THAT.

LOOKS LIKE HE'S RECEIVING AN AWARD FROM GOVERNOR DIXY LEE RAY.

WELL, THAT'S EXCITING.

YEAH, AN EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AWARD.

YOU KNOW, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS.

I WISH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE "SEATTLE TIMES."

THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I REMEMBER HIM.

HE'S JUST BURNED INTO MY MEMORY.

OH, LOOK AT THAT.

IT TELLS US RIGHT HERE HE HAD A FAMILY AND A DAUGHTER AND A SON.

JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IN MY HEART THAT-- MM-HMM.

HE PUT THAT ASIDE TO GO INTO DANGER, AND HE FLEW IN TO THAT DANGER.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE INFORMATION REINFORCES EVERYTHING SUE KNEW ABOUT MIKE FROM THEIR BRIEF TIME TOGETHER...

IT'S GOT HIS...PRIMARY SPECIAL--SPECIALITY.

BUT DOES IT HOLD ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP HER FIND HIM?

OH.

IT HAS AN ADDRESS ON HERE.

LOOK.

2009.

THAT'S PRETTY RECENT.

MM-HMM.

SO HE IS IN CARNATION IN JUNE OF 2009.

COULD I TAKE THAT INFORMATION?

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

OK, GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: FINALLY, SOMETHING TANGIBLE--AN ADDRESS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD.

SUE: IT'S A LONG SHOT, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE THE ADDRESS THAT I GOT TODAY AND SEND HIM A LETTER.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE MADE A GIANT STEP FORWARD IN FINDING HIM.

HOPEFULLY, I'LL HEAR BACK.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN MINDY'S QUEST TO FIND MEMBERS OF DAVID JOHNSTON'S FAMILY, A NEW LEAD HAS POPPED UP.

NEWS OF HER SEARCH HAS REACHED TOM CASADEVALL, AN OLD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE OF DAVID'S.

TOM WAS ONE OF THE MANY SCIENTISTS LIKE MINDY WHO DEALT WITH THE FALLOUT FROM THE ERUPTION IN 1980.

HE BELIEVES HE HAS INFORMATION THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST.

MINDY: I THINK HE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP BECAUSE HE'D WORKED CLOSELY WITH DAVID AND REALLY GOT ALONG WELL WITH HIM.

I'M REAL EXCITED TO MEET HIM.

IT'S BEEN SO LONG.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AT THE TIME OF THE ERUPTION, TOM WAS WORKING IN HAWAII, BUT HE FLEW IN RIGHT AWAY WHEN HE HEARD DAVID WAS MISSING.

TOM: SINCE I HADN'T SEEN THE SCENE, I THOUGHT, "OH, WELL, THEY'RE JUST NOT LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACE."

AND SO INTUITIVELY, I THOUGHT, "WELL, I'LL GET OVER THERE, AND THE NEXT DAY I'LL GO UP AND WE'LL FIND DAVE."

WE'LL FIND HIM, YEAH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT ONCE TOM MANAGED TO GET UP IN A HELICOPTER, THE REALITY BECAME PAINFULLY CLEAR.

WE COULD SEE PRETTY DEFINITIVELY THAT THERE WERE NO TREES.

SECONDLY, DAVE HAD A TRAILER.

THIRDLY, HE HAD A VEHICLE.

HE HAD A SMALL FORD PINTO STATION WAGON.

AND ALL THE INSTRUMENTS AND EVERYTHING.

THAT'S, I THINK, WHEN IT REALLY SUNK IN TO US THAT, UM... THAT WE HAD LOST DAVE.

I SAID, "YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO TO CHICAGO AND TALK TO THE FAMILY."

I HAD NEVER MET DAVE'S PARENTS, BUT I FLEW TO CHICAGO.

DAVE'S FATHER CAME TO O'HARE AIRPORT WITH HIS SISTER.

AND THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS--WAS DISTRESSED.

AND MRS. JOHNSTON SAID, "WE UNDERSTAND THAT DAVE PROBABLY DIDN'T SURVIVE, "BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN?"

I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE AT THE CAMP BEFORE THE ERUPTION AND AFTER THE ERUPTION.

AND THEY ASKED ME, "WELL, DO YOU THINK DAVE COULD HAVE SURVIVED?"

AND I SAID, "NO.

I DON'T BELIEVE DAVE COULD HAVE SURVIVED."

THAT WAS A VERY KIND THING TO DO.

THAT WAS A HARD THING TO DO.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT NEEDED DOING.

THE FAMILY NEEDED TO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE TRAGEDY.

I DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD A SISTER.

HOW WAS SHE COPING?

SHE WAS DEVASTATED.

HER NAME IS PAT.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO REACH HER.

I FEEL THAT DAVID SAVED MY LIFE, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONNECT WITH THE FAMILY.

WELL, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

I REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TOM HAS KEPT IN CONTACT WITH DAVID'S FAMILY OVER THE YEARS.

PAT STILL STRUGGLES WITH SOME ASPECTS OF DAVE'S LOSS, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY MEANINGFUL TO ESTABLISH THAT YOU WERE THERE ON MAY 17th AND YOU SAW DAVID.

NOW, THANKS TO TOM, MINDY HAS THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DAVID'S CLOSEST REMAINING FAMILY MEMBER.

MINDY: THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

IT'LL LEAVE SUCH A GAPING HOLE IF I DON'T FINISH THIS AND TRY.

GOTTA TRY.

I WILL.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: STILL ON THE TRAIL OF HER HERO MIKE CAIRNS, SUE IS HEADED FOR CAMP MURRAY, HOME OF THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD, WHERE HE ONCE SERVED.

SUE: I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM MIKE CAIRNS IN THE LETTER I SENT LAST WEEK.

SO I'M KIND OF AT A LOSS, AND I'M HOPING THIS MIGHT BE MY LAST SHOT AT FINDING MAYBE MORE CURRENT INFORMATION.

WE'LL SEE.

IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK ON A NATIONAL GUARD BASE.

FEELS LIKE HOME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: FORMER GUARDSMAN RICK PATTERSON IS NOW A DIRECTOR AT THE WASHINGTON STATE NATIONAL GUARD HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

RICK: I DID, YES.

HA HA!

THAT WAS THE LAST UNIFORM I...

HE'S DONE SOME RESEARCH FOR SUE AND HAS DUG UP A REMARKABLE FIND.

SO I HAVE A LITTLE VIDEO FOR YOU OF MIKE.

OH, REALLY?

TAKES A MOMENT TO GET GOING HERE.

[HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING] THAT A FAMILIAR SOUND?

IT IS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S RARE RAW FOOTAGE OF SUE AND MIKE AS THEY LANDED AFTER THE RESCUE, FILMED BY A TV CREW.

OH!

[TALKING INDISTINCTLY] REPORTER: TELL US WHERE YOU WERE.

LOOK AT HIS FACE.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

I MEAN, HOW LONG WERE YOU IN THERE?

WELL, TOO LONG.

TOO LONG.

MUST BE A LITTLE...

STRANGE SEEING THAT AFTER THESE YEARS.

YEP.

REPORTER: A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THAT TERRAIN?

IT LOOKS, UH-- IT'S DEVASTATED.

LOOKS LIKE A HYDROGEN BOMB OR SOME ATOMIC TYPE OF EXPLOSION.

EVERYTHING IS JUST LEVELED.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SUE HAS HEARD MIKE'S VOICE IN 37 YEARS.

IT'S JUST SOLID WHITE ASH.

REPORTER: AND THESE PEOPLE HAD TO HIKE THROUGH THAT TO GET TO WHERE YOU FOLKS FINALLY FOUND 'EM.

THEY--THEY WENT, I WOULD SAY, AT LEAST 8 TO 10 MILES THROUGH JUST FALLEN TREES.

THEY HAD TO CLIMB OVER AND UNDER JUST ASH.

AND WE WERE UNDER THE ASH.

IT WAS UPWARD OF--IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 18 INCHES... RICK: VERY DRAMATIC MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE.

YEP, YEAH, STILL IS.

STILL IS.

I COULD SEE THAT.

IT, UH, TOOK 2 OF OUR BEST FRIENDS' LIVES, SO... [REPORTER CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY] I COULDN'T SAY THAT THERE'S A... SUE: WELL, WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IS THE SAME SENSE OF HORROR THAT I FELT ON THAT DAY.

BUT LOOKING BACK ON IT, UM... OH, SUCH A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE.

YEAH, DON'T WASTE THE MIRACLE.

MAKE IT COUNT.

AND SO, THAT'S WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE FILM IS A STARK REMINDER OF MIKE'S BRAVERY AND HAS MADE SUE ALL THE MORE DETERMINED TO FIND HIM.

BUT WITH HER LETTER STILL UNANSWERED, THE NATIONAL GUARD IS THE LAST ROLL OF THE DICE.

WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY CONTACT INFORMATION STORED HERE?

UM, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECORDS AT ALL OF THAT KIND; HOWEVER, I HAVE KIND OF KEPT IN TOUCH WITH JESS HAGERMAN OVER THE YEARS.

I REMEMBER THAT NAME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: JESS HAGERMAN WAS A COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND OF MIKE'S.

HE WAS PART OF THE TEAM GIVEN THE SAD TASK OF RECOVERING THE BODIES OF SUE'S FRIENDS KAREN AND TERRY.

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO JESS AND ASK HIM.

OH, OH, THAT WOULD JUST BE FANTASTIC!

OK. ANN, VOICE-OVER: AT LAST, A BREAKTHROUGH IN SUE'S SEARCH.

WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A SEAT RIGHT HERE, SUE?

OH, OK. [PUSH-BUTTON PHONE DIALING] MAN: HELLO, IT'S JESS.

HI, JESS.

JESS: HI.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

SO, YOU WOULD REMEMBER ME AS MAYBE SUE RUFF.

DO YOU REMEMBER ME?

YEAH, FROM ST. HELENS?

YES!

SO, WOW.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, HUH?

JESS: WELL, IT HAS.

YEAH.

SO, FIRST OFF, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THANK YOU.

JESS: WELL, THAT WAS KIND OF AN AMAZING THING, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'LL EVER FORGET EITHER.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SPEAKING TO MIKE'S FORMER COLLEAGUE IS JUST THE LEAD SHE NEEDS TO COMPLETE HER SEARCH.

WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MIKE CAIRNS?

JESS: MIKE CAIRNS--YOU KNOW, I RAN INTO HIM, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

I THINK HE GAVE ME HIS PHONE NUMBER, AND I THINK IT'S STILL IN THE AREA.

OH, REALLY?

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SUE IS NOW ONLY ONE PHONE CALL AWAY FROM REACHING MIKE.

I AM SO NERVOUS.

I'M JUST, UM... MY HEART IS BEATING SO FAST.

I NEED TO DO THIS.

I NEED TO DO IT FOR ME, AND I OWE IT TO HIM, UM...JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, SO...

IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

I JUST KNOW IT.

SO CLOSE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: FOR WEEKS, MINDY BRUGMAN HAS BEEN SEARCHING FOR THE FAMILY OF VULCANOLOGIST DAVID JOHNSTON, THE SCIENTIST WHO INSISTED SHE LEAVE MOUNT ST. HELENS BEFORE THE ERUPTION THAT WOULD CLAIM 56 LIVES.

SO, DID HE SAVE YOUR LIFE?

YES.

I BELIEVE DAVID JOHNSTON SAVED MY LIFE.

IF I COULD SEE PEOPLE HE LOVED, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MINDY HAS NOW FOUND DAVID'S SISTER PAT AND MADE CONTACT.

I GOT A RESPONSE FROM HER BACK, AND SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO MEET ME.

SO I'VE COME HERE TO CHICAGO TO MEET HER.

NOW I FEEL EXCITED AND HAPPY.

I JUST KNOW IT'S RIGHT TO TALK TO HER.

[WATER SPLASHING] PAT: I'D REALLY LIKE TO MEET MINDY.

THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO KNOW HOW DAVID WAS THE LAST NIGHT OF HIS LIFE.

IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME TO KNOW, SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING HER.

ARE YOU PAT?

OH, MY GOD.

OH, WONDERFUL!

SO GOOD TO MEET YOU!

OH, FINALLY.

PAT: OH, I AM SO GLAD YOU CONTACTED ME BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU.

AND YOU'RE STRONG ENOUGH TO MEET WITH ME.

I MEAN, IT'S A STRANGE THING.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU'D TAKE IT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS ARE GONE.

DAVID WAS MY ONLY SIBLING AND...

I WAS JUST--I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH SOMEBODY WHO CONNECTED WITH HIM.

AND I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST HIS LAST NIGHT ON EARTH.

YOU KNOW?

OHH... [SIGHS] I MEAN, WE JUST SO ENJOYED BEING UP THERE.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL, QUIET, PEACEFUL PLACE.

THIS--UP TILL THAT POINT, WAS... YOU KNOW, EXACTLY WHERE HE WANTED TO BE.

THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR THE MOST WAS THAT HE WAS AT PEACE, THAT HE WAS IN HIS ELEMENT, THAT HE WAS HAPPY, HE HAD A GOOD NIGHT.

WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEBODY, YOU GET TO THINK ABOUT THEIR LAST 24 HOURS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: PAT AND DAVID WERE VERY CLOSE.

AFTER HE DIED, SHE MOVED CLOSER TO HER PARENTS.

PAT MARRIED AND HAD 3 CHILDREN, THE FIRST OF WHOM SHE NAMED DAVID, AFTER HER BROTHER.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW DAVID WAS ON THAT--THAT LAST DAY.

I WAS IN THIS LA LA LAND THAT IT'S MY VOLCANO AND IT'S NOT GONNA HURT ME, AND IT'S ALL EXCITING.

WE WANTED TO STAY, AND HE SAID, "NO."

HE BASICALLY DESCRIBED TO ME WHAT HAPPENED THE NEXT MORNING.

AND HE DID IT VIVIDLY, AND HE SAID, "YOU MUST GO."

IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT YOU WOULD KNOW HOW HE SAVED MY LIFE.

THANKS FOR SHARING THAT WITH ME.

THAT MEANS A LOT.

DO YOU--DO YOU THINK THE WORK THAT DAVE DID UP THERE HAD ANY RELEVANCE TO WHAT YOU KNOW NOW?

YES.

THERE'S A LOT THAT THEY LEARNED.

OK. WE KNOW NOW THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING HOW THE MOUNTAIN CHANGES.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE KNEW WHAT WE KNEW THEN, NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT RIDGE.

OH, MY GOSH, OH, MY GOSH, I AM SO HAPPY YOU CAME.

I AM SO HAPPY YOU CAME.

I REALLY, REALLY AM.

I JUST WISH MY PARENTS WERE HERE TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH ME.

IT MEANT A LOT TO ME THAT PAT WOULD TAKE THE TIME AND BE GENEROUS OF SPIRIT TO TALK TO ME.

PAT: IT WAS VERY EXCITING.

IT WAS MORE EMOTIONAL THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED.

MINDY: DAVID IS STILL IN PAT'S HEART, AND HE SHINES FORTH IN THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT.

SHE WANTS US TO LEARN AND KEEP A LEGACY FOR DAVID.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: 2,000 MILES AWAY BACK IN WASHINGTON STATE, SUE NYSTROM IS ALSO AT THE END OF HER SEARCH FOR THE PILOT WHO RESCUED HER FROM THE MOUNT ST. HELENS DISASTER.

I KNOW WHAT YOU PUT ON THE LINE TO COME AND GET US.

I KNOW WHAT YOU RISKED.

AND YOU'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT.

NOT FOR A MINUTE, NOPE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER ALMOST 4 DECADES, SHE'S FINALLY TRACKED DOWN HER HERO.

SUE: I AM NERVOUS, AND I AM EXCITED.

PROBABLY EQUAL MEASURES OF BOTH.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THEY'VE ARRANGED TO MEET AT THE JOHNSTON RIDGE OBSERVATORY, NAMED AFTER DAVID JOHNSTON.

IT OVERLOOKS THE MOUNTAIN THAT MADE THEIR PATHS COLLIDE ON THAT FATEFUL DAY.

SUE: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT FOR 37 YEARS.

I WOULD LIKE TO TELL HIM JUST WHAT HE DID FOR ME THAT DAY, AND NOT JUST THAT DAY, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT DAY EVERY OTHER DAY SINCE.

WHAT AN INSPIRATION.

OH, MY GOSH.

MIKE!

HI!

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

HI!

HI THERE, KIDDO.

OH, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU FOR YEARS.

OH, WOW.

YEAH, DECADES, ACTUALLY, EVER SINCE IT HAPPENED.

37 YEARS, 2 MONTHS, AND 15 DAYS AGO.

WOW.

YEAH.

YEAH.

I WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU.

OH.

[VOICE CRACKING] FROM VERY, VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME CRY.

HA HA HA!

I'LL TRY NOT TO.

NO, I MEAN IT.

YOU SAVED MY LIFE, AND YOU WERE A ROLE MODEL FOR ME.

AND I FOLLOWED IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS, WHETHER YOU KNEW IT OR NOT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

I JOINED THE NATIONAL GUARD-- OH, MY GOSH.

A YEAR LATER.

YOU DID?

I DID.

AND I SPENT 34 YEARS-- OH, WOW.

IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, YEAH.

WELL, YOU HAD TO BE PRETTY AMAZING YOURSELF TO STAY IN THE GUARD FOR ALL THE YEARS THAT YOU ACCOMPLISHED THAT.

THAT'S PRETTY SPECIAL.

I HAD A GREAT INSPIRATION.

AND IT WAS MY DRIVING GOAL TO ACCOMPLISH 1/10th OF WHAT YOU DID.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MIKE SERVED 5 YEARS IN THE U.S. ARMY, INCLUDING IN VIETNAM, AND ANOTHER 7 YEARS IN THE NATIONAL GUARD UNTIL 1985.

HE COMPLETED DOZENS OF LIFE-SAVING MISSIONS.

TODAY, HE'S A RETIRED FATHER OF 2 AND GRANDFATHER OF 6.

MIKE: I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU.

I MEAN, YOU WERE SITTING BEHIND ME.

MM-HMM.

I DO.

REMEMBER?

FLYING BACK?

AND I REMEMBER YOU LOOKED SO SAD THAT I REACHED BACK AND PUT MY HAND ON YOUR SHOULDER.

I KNOW.

YOU ENDURED A LOT THAT DAY AND BEYOND, AND I AM SO PROUD THAT YOU BECAME A SOLDIER.

MM-HMM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: INSPIRED BY MIKE THROUGHOUT HER TIME IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, SUE HAS SOUGHT TO HONOR HIS COURAGE AND VALOR.

I DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU, SOMETHING THAT, UM, I DID IN YOUR HONOR WHILE I WAS IN AFGHANISTAN.

I HAD A FLAG FLOWN IN YOUR HONOR, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE IT TO YOU.

WOW.

THIS IS VERY COOL.

UM...

SO "THIS WAS FLOWN IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY "OVER THE AMERICAN COMPOUND CAMP PHOENIX "BY THE OFFICERS, NCOs, AND SOLDIERS OF THE 41st BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM "DURING OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM ON THE 11th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2006."

WOW, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

AND I'VE KEPT IT.

I DON'T CRY.

HA HA!

I DON'T EITHER, SO WE WON'T RECOGNIZE ANYTHING LEAKING.

I'VE HELD ONTO THAT FOR... 11 YEARS, REALLY, SINCE IT WAS FLOWN.

WOW.

AND I THOUGHT, "I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO HIM, AND I'M GONNA DO IT IN PERSON."

WOW.

THIS IS AMAZING.

MIKE: IT JUST WAS A...

PROBABLY THE GREATEST GIFT I'VE EVER RECEIVED.

EVER.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE MY FLAG AT MY HOUSE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

SUE: I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME WAS BEING ABLE TO TELL MIKE CAIRNS IN PERSON JUST HOW MUCH OF AN INSPIRATION HE'S BEEN FOR ME.

MIKE: TO KNOW THAT I ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED SOMEBODY TO GET INVOLVED IN THE NATIONAL GUARD-- IT REALLY MOVED ME.

YOU KNOW, I NEED A REAL HUG.

[LOUD RUMBLING] ANN, VOICE-OVER: ONE CATASTROPHIC EVENT FROM DECADES AGO BOUND THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER.

HI!

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

NOW THAT THEY'VE FOUND EACH OTHER, A NEW CHAPTER CAN BEGIN.

IT WAS QUITE INCREDIBLE TO MEET PAT.

IT WAS A REAL HONOR FOR ME.

TODAY HAS MEANT A LOT TO ME BECAUSE MINDY BROUGHT IT TO A CLOSURE FOR ME.

MIKE: IT WAS WONDERFUL TO MEET HER AGAIN AS AN ADULT WOMAN, NOT JUST AS A SURVIVOR FROM MOUNT ST. HELENS.

SUE: I JUST FEEL A REAL DEEP SENSE OF PEACE.

MY MISSION'S ACCOMPLISHED.

YEAH.

I DON'T THINK WE'LL LOSE TOUCH AFTER THIS.

- [Narrator] Next time, a child of Vietnam separated from her American father, yearning to find him before it's too late.

- You're gonna go find him.

- Find him and say that I miss him a lot.

- And a young refugee who fled war torn Vietnam, who survived with the help of a Texas cowboy.

- I would like to tell him thank you for what he did.

ANNOUNCER: "WE'LL MEET AGAIN" IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.

TO ORDER, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG OR CALL 1-800 PLAY-PBS.

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON iTUNES.

IS THERE SOMEONE FROM YOUR PAST WHO YOU WANT TO MEET AGAIN?

SHARE YOUR STORY AT PBS.ORG/MEETAGAIN.