Unexpected Reunion During Aberfan Disaster Talk
Gareth Jones was addressing children about his survival of the Aberfan disaster when a young boy named Noah, aged 10, raised his hand holding a photograph. He asked Gareth if he recognized the man in the picture.
"The hairs were standing on the back of my neck," Gareth recalled.
Upon closer inspection, Gareth identified the man as Stephen Andrew, the boy’s great-grandfather, who had saved him on that tragic day.
The Aberfan Disaster: A Tragic Day
On the morning of 21 October 1966, a colliery spoil tip collapsed on the hillside above Pantglas Junior School, sending tons of slurry crashing through the school and nearby homes. The disaster claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults.
Gareth recounted his escape, saying,
"There was a guy at the other side of the window. He actually grabbed me and told me to run."
He later discovered that this man was Stephen Andrew, the school caretaker who pulled him to safety through a broken classroom window as the catastrophe unfolded.
Although Gareth had always known Stephen saved his life, he had never seen a photograph of him until meeting Noah during a recent visit to Troedyrhiw Primary School. This school is located near the site of the former Pantglas Primary in Merthyr Tydfil county. The visit coincided with preparations in Wales and worldwide to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster on 21 October.
"I was absolutely gobsmacked... that bit of the jigsaw has come together," Gareth said.
Family History and Tragedy Intertwined
Noah had grown up hearing stories of his great-grandfather’s heroism, but his family also endured profound loss that day. Stephen had started the school’s heating system that morning before returning home to Moy Road for a brief tea with his wife and newborn daughter. He then set out to return to work.
Stephen witnessed in horror as tons of colliery waste cascaded down the hillside, burying part of the junior school. He quickly rushed to assist, with Gareth among the first children he helped to safety.
Tragically, Stephen’s two sons, Kelvin and Malcolm, were among the 116 children who perished in the rubble.
"I'm just happy to hear the story," Noah said, expressing pride in his great-grandfather’s efforts.
Students Engage Deeply with the Story
During the visit, Gareth spoke to pupils who listened attentively as he described how a normal school day turned catastrophic within moments. They asked about the sounds, the cracking walls, and the aftermath.
Ten-year-old Caelan reflected,
"That was really scary. Not having your friends to go out with… I was thinking, what would I do if it happened to me?"
Other students noted how hearing the story firsthand differed from reading it in books. Aleyah, also 10, said,
"It made me think how lucky we are that it's not going to happen again."
Troedyrhiw Primary is located close to Aberfan, and teacher Hannah James believes this proximity makes the history personal to the children.
"It's part of their identity… part of the community that they live in," she said.
She added,
"I think the questions they asked were so mature, and they were able to have real in-depth conversations and show their empathy skills and their understanding of the impact the disaster had for children who were their age.
It [had been] really hard for them to relate, but I think having Gareth to share his experience has helped them to really understand the impact it had on the community, and their community that they live in."
Continuing the Legacy Through Storytelling
Gareth continues to share his story to connect younger generations with the history of Aberfan.
"I enjoy speaking about the disaster," he said. "These children now will have their own children… and they can tell them the story."
Aberfan’s Impact Reaches Across the Atlantic
While pupils across Wales learn about Aberfan, students in the United States have also been educated about the disaster, aided by survivor Gaynor Madgwick.
From her home near Aberfan, Gaynor spoke via video call to children at Hampstead Middle School in New Hampshire. Nearly 100 pupils, thousands of miles away, had studied the disaster before greeting her with applause when she appeared on screen.
Gaynor described the morning of 21 October 1966, recalling a "tremendous" roar followed by a wave of debris crashing into her classroom. She awoke trapped beneath rubble with injured legs, surrounded by classmates—some alive, others not.
Later in hospital, she learned that her brother, sister, and many friends had died.
"We were only eight or nine years of age," she said.
The pupils listened quietly before asking questions about the event and its aftermath. One inquired about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
"It wasn't until five years ago that I was actually diagnosed," Gaynor explained, describing how anxiety and trauma had affected her for decades.
Another asked how she survived when others did not.
"I feel my life was spared to help others," she responded.
Students also asked about the village’s quietness after the disaster and the guilt some children felt playing outside while families grieved.
"We used to go away and hide… not to upset the parents," Gaynor said.
Their teacher, Jenn Howard, helped pupils relate by comparing the loss of 116 children in Aberfan to losing an entire year group at their school.
For Gaynor, the call was deeply emotional.
"It blew me apart. The knowledge was amazing… they wanted to know about PTSD, about everything."
She emphasized the importance of sharing survivors’ stories beyond Wales.
"It's about telling as many people around the world what really happened," she said.
"If there's one thing they take away… it's for children not to suffer in silence. To talk, to share their feelings. Not to be afraid."
