Young coal mine workers l Hidden America: Children of the Mountains PART 5/6

No shit they are quiet. They are on camera being interviewed with mine officials watching. They aren’t going to really open up due to the fact they say anything they’ll be out of a job.

19 years old and a home owner. Incredible.

The look on miners faces when asked about lung issues with officials near by says it all.

My Grandfather was a Pennsylvania Coal Miner in the 1910s. Born in 1902, he left school after the 8th grade to work full time so he could help support the family. He was first born of 8 or 9 siblings. Damn! I wish I had been more appreciative and respectful of him when he was alive. I can remember my Grandmother calling him a dumb Lithuanian hick one morning. He became a merchant marine and settled in Liverpool for a while where he met his wife. While he may have not been considered bright by an elite few in my family, he had a job throughout the entire Great Depression, raised his family and never complained. I never really knew him . . .wish I had.

I like how they added, "as we speak, company official stand at the side". Not one of those boys wanted to say a damn thing when asked the negative questions, lol.

Mad respect for these guys. Putting their lives on the line just so we could have power in the house.

I feel for these guys, I'm 22 and if I were in the situation of being a coal miner as one of the only option I don't think I could do it. Mad respect

60k a year and no college required

I so much admire these guys. After high school, I joined the US Navy, then after that I worked in the mine. I admit that I couldn't take it and quit after only a couple years. They said they were sorry to see me go, that I was a hard worker but they understood. I worked in a factory after that and had to take a big pay cut.

My side hurts Gets off buys candy bars, Red Bull and cigarettes lol

It sucks that the work ethic of my people is looked down on by so many. People in Appalachia have been survivors for 3 centuries.

Those men are real men, that boy and his gf were expecting and he takes one of the hardest jobs in the world to provide for his gf and his baby.

Honest days pay for an honest days work. Very few people know that type of honest work today

These guys are brave and I pray for their safetiness. Bless also their families.

5:45 why would you ask such a dumb question, the guy works hard for his money he can spend it how he wants.

My father in law worked in the mines for 25yrs, never missed a day and was happy to work hard for his wife & 3 kids. He retired and I’m blessed to be married to his son for 16yrs. Hard working man doing work to provide. He was also a volunteer firefighter for 20 yrs. my in-laws were married for 51yrs when my awesome mother-law passed away. 😢 I love my in-laws and my dad is my father in laws best friend! Yes, a very rare, but truly blessed family we have! ❤️❤️

Damn 60,000 a year starting off straight put of high school the way she was talking figured he wasn't gonna make half that

At 2:15 this miner says something no "surface hugger" ( myself included) can possibly fathom. God bless these people.

I've done this for 10 years and I still love it

My grandfather did this exact job for 38 years. Underground. Performed all those jobs...and lived to tell about it. Few people could actually do this as a career. My dad got a job as an electrician trainee right out of Vietnam. 2 weeks later he got a call from a major pharma manufacturer. Grandpa told him to take it...and he worked there for 38 years. Just like the man in the film...didn't want kids to follow in his footsteps in this situation.