Hawkins Family Statement
Issued: 05/27/2014
The family of Wesley Hawkins would like to express their gratitude to the members of the Mesa County Sheriffs's Office, Mesa County Search and Rescue, Salvation Army, Plateau Valley Fire District, CenturyLink and everyone through out the community who have expressed their sympathy, condolences and prayers in this tragic event.
We would also like everyone to know who Wesley was. Wesley worked for the Collbran Conservancy District as the District Water Manager for the last 23 years. He was responsible for much of the water that flows through the Plateau Valley area. His responsibility to the community and its safety led him to the area that the slide occurred in. He was concerned for other families and their homes should the water system be compromised. He was performing these duties when the massive slide caught him and the other men.
Wesley was a father of five wonderful children, husband of 27 years and a grandfather of a beautiful granddaughter. He was also well respected and admired within his community.
At this time we do not wish to make any other statements to the press.
**The above statement was given to our agency and posted here as a courtesy to the Hawkins' family and was not crafted by our agency. A photo of Wesley is not available for the media at this time. Should that change, it will be posted here. We appreciate the media's continued respect for honoring the family of Wesley, Danny and Clancy's wishes for privacy, as they grieve.**