Community candlelight vigil draws friends, families, first responders to accident site

Rev. Kevin Daniels, Hays Christian Church, offers prayers during Sunday's candle light vigil for Aaron Pfannenstiel and Jake Jacobs. Both J Corp employees were killed Tuesday in a trench collapse in downtown Hays. — Rev. Kevin Daniels, Hays Christian Church, offers prayers during Sunday’s candle light vigil for Aaron Pfannenstiel and Jake Jacobs. Both J Corp employees were killed Tuesday in a trench collapse in downtown Hays.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Family, friends and community members gathered Sunday night in downtown Hays to remember the two men killed in a trench collapse accident last Tuesday afternoon.

The candlelight vigil was organized by the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance and held on Main Street, just south of the Eighth Street intersection where sewer repair work had been underway March 1 in front of the Ellis County Administrative Center.

Killed when the dirt caved in from the walls of the 11-feet-deep trench were J Corp Construction Company employees Aaron Pfannenstiel, 44, and Jake Jacobs, 66, both of Hays. Pfannenstiel was the J Corp owner/operator; Jacobs was a construction supervisor. Funerals for both men were held Saturday.

trench agustin macias — J Corp employee Agustin Macias (with red cup) looks at the now-filled trench Sunday evening where two of his fellow employees died Tuesday in downtown Hays.

One J Corp employee was rescued–Agustin Macias, who suffered a broken left arm. Macias attended Sunday’s ceremony with family.

Prayers were offered also for Macias, who attended the ceremony with family, for the emergency first responders who were at the scene, and for the Ellis County employees who offered their building to anxious family members during the rescue and recovery.

“We come together tonight to grieve and to remember,” said ECMA President Rev. Celeste Lasich, First Presbyterian Church as she welcomed the crowd, standing quietly in the middle of the block, just short of the fenced-off trench site.

“We offer prayer and support for the loving and extended Pfannenstiel and Jacobs families, for all the employees and partners of J Corp, for the emergency responders, and the city and utilities staff, the county building staff, the downtown businesses and too many people to name–all touched by this terrible tragedy,” Lasich said.

With a catch in his voice, Ellis County Commission Chairman Dean Haselhorst offered condolences.

Ellis Co. Commission Chairman Dean Haselhorst brings condolences to J Corp from towns across Kansas.

“I realized this past week the impact J Corp had in so many communities across the state. From Atwood to Coldwater, to Hesston to Salina, to Russell to Gorham and back to Hays–the support of the elected officials and department heads that all called offered their prayers to be shared with the families. They shared stories of the times that J Corp was in and around their communities doing work or just serving others in those communities.

“For Jake and Aaron, it was building miles of roads, miles of sidewalks, countless curbs that they redid in the city of Hays for handicap accessibility, parking lots, laying pipe, doing maintenance, and all the day-to-day activity that J Corp did as a construction company.

“And on Tuesday morning when they were called to the corner of Eighth and Main again, they were serving the community of Hays, doing what they loved, and helping out where they could.

“And be assured when Aaron and Jake were greeted at the gates of heaven, our Lord told them ‘Well done, my good and faithful servants. You may now come in and rest, for this eternal kingdom is yours.'”

Hays Mayor Eber Phelps, Ellis County Commissioner Barb Wasinger and Ellis County Emergency Medical Services Director Kerry McCue also spoke to the crowd. Other prayers were offered by Deacon Scott Watford, St. Nicholas Church, and Pastor Patrick McGinnis, Dialogue Ministries.

trench song — Chris and Ervis Dinkel, Liberty Church, sing during the vigil, flanked by ECMA President Rev. Celeste Lasich, Ellis Co. EMS Director Kerry McCue, Hays Mayor Eber Phelps, and Ellis Co. Commissioners Dean Haselhorst and Barb Wasinger.

As dusk fell, Rev. Kevin Daniels, Hays Christian Church, asked the mourners to light their candles as Chris and Ervis Dinkel, Liberty Church, led the crowd in singing “Amazing Grace.”

As the final notes faded and the candle flames flickered in the breeze, Daniels talked about the power of light.

“Sorrow, and now dark, fills the street. In this, our hour of need, we turn to light. Light offers protection. Light offers hope. Light offers life…Light gives us God’s peace,” Daniels said. “Together we have grieved, and together we move forward.”

Liberty Church Pastor Steve Dinkel then asked those holding candles to blow them out and for everyone to “join hands and draw strength from each other” during the closing prayer.

“We’ve experienced such a loss in our community, Lord,” Dinkel prayed, “and it reminds us to slow down and do the things that matter. To give one more hug hello or goodbye, and to appreciate each other.”

trench mourners ws — Mourners linger at the trench site after Sunday’s community candlelight vigil.

The memorial services lasted little more than half an hour. Thirty minutes later, the tears were still falling, the hugs were still heartfelt, and the mourners still stared down at the now-filled trench.

APAC-Hays contractors will resume completion of the sewer line repairs Monday.