Deepwater Horizon 11 – In Memoriam

We should always remember the loved ones of the Deepwater Horizon 11. We should never forget them. In a tribute to each of the 11 workers who died in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on April 20, 2010, Gordon, Elias & Seely have published photos and descriptions in memory of each of the victims. May they rest in peace.

1. Shane Roshto, Roustabout

One of the youngest workers on the rig and a resident of Franklin County, Mississippi, Roshto, 22 years old, is survived by his son and his wife, Natalie. He was an inspiration to his friends. He wrote two dates inside of his hard hat, his wedding day and his son's birthday.

2. Roy Wyatt Kemp, Derrick Hand

Kemp, 27 years old, was an avid fisherman and churchgoer who loved to go hunting with his dog. He is remembered for his unique sense of humor. He was a resident of Jonesville, Louisiana and is survived by his wife, Courtney, and two daughters.

3. Karl Kleppinger Jr., Floorhand

Kleppinger was a Desert Storm veteran who spent more than 10 years working on oil rigs. He lived with his family in Natchez, Mississippi. He made a nightly call home to his wife, Tracy. She told the AP that just before the explosion she had a premonition: "I can't explain, there was this feeling that things were bad. It was a string of 'I love yous, I need you home',". He also leaves a 17-year old son (pictured with him in this undated photo).

4. Jason Anderson, Toolpusher

Anderson, 35 years old was from Bay City, Texas. He had many close friends and was a member of the Midfield Community Church. He leaves behind his wife, Shelley, and a daughter and son.

5. Stephen Curtis, Assistant Driller

Curtis, 39, of Georgetown, Louisiana worked in the oil industry for 17 years. He had oil running through his veins, following his father, who worked as a diver-welder for over 34 years. He is also survived by his wife, Nancy, a son and a daughter.

6. Dewey Revette, Driller

Revette, 48 years old, was from State Line, Mississippi. He worked for Transocean for 29 years. He is survived by his wife, Sherri and two daughters.

7. Adam Weise, Floorhand

Weise, 24 years old lived in Yorktown, Texas. He came straight from high school, where he was a football star, to work on the rig in 2005. He drove 10 hours to Louisiana every three weeks to work on the Deepwater Horizon. During his three weeks off, Weise “spent time with his girlfriend, hunted deer and fished from his boat,” reports the AP.

8. Gordon Jones, Mud Engineer

Jones, 28 years old, was fromthe Baton Rouge area. He loved playing golf and had a great sense of humor. He left behind a son and a pregnant wife, Michelle, who was due to give birth on May 21. Before leaving for his week-long assignment on the rig, she cried and he reassured her that everything would be OK. Just before the explosion, he called her: "His last words were, 'I love you,' " Michelle told the Los Angeles Times. "Ten minutes later, everything changed."

9. Aaron Dale Burkeen, Crane Operator

A 37-year-old resident of Neshoba County, Mississippi, Burkeen reportedly helped get other crew members to safety in the minutes after the explosion but could not get off the rig in time to save his own life. He had worked on oil rigs for 10 years. He is survived by a wife and two children, ages 14 and 6.

10. Blair Manuel, Mud Engineer

Known as “Gro Bebe” or “Big Baby” to his family and friends, Manuel, 56 years old, lived in Gonzales, Louisiana. He loved to hunt and fish and go whitewater rafting. He was a big fan of the LSU Tigers. He is survived by his fiancé, Melinda, and his three daughters.

11. Donald Clark, Assistant Driller

Clark, 49 years old was from Newellton, Louisiana. He was scheduled to leave the rig on April 21, the day after the explosion. Like his father, he had worked as a soybean farmer until he decided to work on the rig. His wife, Sheila, told the Los Angeles Times, "He loved his job; the only part he didn't like was leaving.... This is a rural area and the only way you could really make a decent living is to leave home." He is also survived by four children.

Picture of original supervisory Horizon crew members in Korea — Douglas Brown and two of the deceased. Others of the deceased not in picture joined the crew when it sailed out of Korea 4 months later. Top left to right, 4th person in: Douglas Brown, Bottom row right corner first person: Donald Clark (Deceased), Top row right to left 5th person in: Jason Anderson. (Deceased)

YouTube Tribute – Watch Video

Photos 1-11 from The Huffington Post


Published by maritime lawyers, Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP.

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