As keenly as the aftermath of a mining incident is felt thousands of feet underground, the emotional impact is rippling through the families of victims lost years or even decades ago in similar tragedies.

"I can't imagine having to wait like that," said Paula Nielsen, whose 28-year-old son Cory died in the Willow Creek Mine explosion. "I can't imagine the torture and pain they're going through for days and days, the fear and hope they have to struggle with."

It was only a week ago that Paula and her husband, Gordon, observed the seventh anniversary of their son Cory's death in the 2000 explosion and fire that killed one other man and hospitalized eight.

Now with six men trapped underground in the Crandall Canyon Mine, the Nielsens are glued to the television in their Elmo home, watching, hoping and praying for some good news about the stranded miners.

They also have been thinking almost constantly about the miners' families who also are trapped in a world of uncertainty.

"My heart just breaks for them," Paula Nielsen said of the relatives who still do not know if their men are dead or alive.

Her son's case was different.

When the Willow Creek Mine north of Helper exploded and flames arose, the disaster instantly killed Shane Stansfield, 29, and Cory Nielsen, 28.

"We didn't have the wait. It was already done when they notified us," Paula Nielsen said. "They sent some men from the mine who knew us to come to our home."

Others who were injured but survived are: Charles Whitten, Tyson Hales, Kyle Medley, Bill Burton, Dave Berdan, Roger McKinnon, Wes Ellner and Ronnie Gonzales.

Whitten, now of Price, said after the explosion he was dusty and kind of dazed, and hoped that help would come. After waiting a short while, he and others drove out of the area in a pickup truck.

The miner is "not feeling too good" about the trapped workers in Crandall Canyon, he said. He's been watching television reports and talking with miner friends since he learned of the collapse on Monday. He has also been hoping and praying for the men.

During his years of working underground, Whitten said he learned that regulations must be followed. Sometimes workers and managers cut corners to get coal, he said, and then people get hurt.

"I've seen a lot of guys get killed," he said. "Falls mostly. It's not very fun to see your friend there dead with his head smashed in."

Those memories have become painfully fresh in light of the Crandall Canyon Mine collapse.

"We watch it constantly, just praying for them. We feel we probably know some of them, and all we can do is pray for them and hope for the best," Nielsen said.