‘Eastern KY lost a hero.’ Young coal miner, father dies in flood trying to get home, help others

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more information from Macy Hensley.

Gabriel Hensley’s wife, Macy, said he had worked a shift in the coal mines when the flooding started in Perry County last week and he was trying to get home to her and their 10-week-old son when his truck was swept away.

“My husband was a family man and was doing anything to make it home to me and his children,” Hensley said.

Everyone was hoping Gabe Hensley, 30, had made his way to safety, but his body was found Sunday afternoon.

Macy Hensley said her husband couldn’t get through the water and he stopped to get help from her brother.

Early on, they were trying to render aid and had helped a man who had wrecked on a four wheeler.

“He and my brother were out trying to help people,” Hensley said. They were clearing trees and turning people back.

She said after her husband ‘s truck was swept away, her brother almost lost his life trying to save her husband.

“The current was too fast,” she said.

Hensley said her brother held onto a tree, a neighbor came to help him and they immediately began to look for Gabe.

At least 35 victims were in the statewide death toll announced by Gov. Andy Beshear Monday.

Lexington anesthesiologist Kent Daniels thinks “hero” aptly describes his cousin.

“Eastern KY lost a hero,” Daniels told the Herald-Leader. “If he died helping someone out, that’s the definition of a hero.”

Daniels and other members of Hensley’s family hope people will honor Hensley by donating needed items to victims, such as water, cleaning supplies, rakes, shovels and buckets.

Hensley, Daniels said, “was a hardworking Eastern Kentucky guy who would give you whatever he had.”

This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 4:29 PM.