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Jan. 21, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

After tragedy, everything changed

By ALAN MAIMON
REVIEW-JOURNAL
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David Snow said he is the "voice to what happened" on Feb. 2, 2007, when two fellow co-workers were killed in a sewer hole at The Orleans. Snow was seriously injured in a rescue attempt.
Photo by Sara Tramiel/Review-Journal



Debi Koehler-Fergen, the mother of Travis Koehler, shows mementos of her son, who died on Feb. 2, 2007, while trying to save a co-worker's life at The Orleans.
Photo by Craig L. Moran



David Snow, 30, was on life support for 23 days last year following an attempt to rescue two fallen co-workers at The Orleans. Both of the other men died.



David Snow's wife, Kelly, pictured with daughters Emily, 3, and Lauren, 23 months, said she "expected the worst" when doctors told her how seriously her husband was injured.
Photo by Sara Tramiel/Review-Journal

Travis Koehler spent his days fixing things. He liked to be challenged. He was eager to acquire new skills.

Last Feb. 2, he tried to save the life of a fallen co-worker at The Orleans and, in the process, gave his own at the age of 26.

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    • David Snow almost died that day. He went into a sewer hole after Koehler and the other man, to no avail.

    Almost a year later, the Koehler and Snow families still grieve.

    Debi Koehler-Fergen misses her son so much she aches sometimes. In his memory, she wears a silver bracelet made from a necklace he wore the day he died.

    Memories of Travis are everywhere, including in the ceramic tiles on her kitchen floor. The work is impressive for a largely self-taught laborer.

    "He was always looking out for me," his mother said. "He was the kind of kid who was always there for anybody who needed him."

    Koehler grew up in small-town Utah and moved back there at age 20 when his younger brother, Brandon, indicated he wanted to drop out of high school.

    "He came back for six months to make sure I stayed on the right track," Brandon Koehler said. "He explained to me I was about to make a bad choice."

    Snow, the only survivor of the three co-workers, still struggles to make sense of that February day.

    "There are no words that can really explain the loss I feel for my friends' families," he said. "I am their voice to what happened."

    It started and ended underground.

    Sewage was flowing into The Orleans' underground system for collecting grease discharged from the hotel. A clogged pipe was causing the problem. If it persisted, waste could have shot up through the hotel's sinks and toilets.

    Normally, the hotel called in a company that specialized in these jobs.

    Not this time.

    Richard Luzier, a newly hired plumber, entered a manhole with a saw to see what he could do. Luzier, 48, cut the plastic pipe, releasing a torrent of sewage and noxious fumes that sent him to the bottom of the pit.

    What happened next is in dispute.

    Did Koehler and Snow go into the pit voluntarily to help? Or were they ordered in?

    State regulators were unable to reach a firm conclusion. Snow maintains supervisors pressured them to go in the sewer.

    Undisputed is that none of the men had the equipment or training for such a job.

    Koehler and Snow on a daily basis helped operations run smoothly at The Orleans.

    Koehler started in the summer of 2004 changing light bulbs and fixing toilets. He quickly advanced to more demanding and complicated jobs. The week before his death, he worked deep into the night to install TVs in the casino sports book.

    He was nagged by tendonitis in his elbow but worked through it, his mother said. He kept a tube of Super Glue handy to plug nicks and scrapes on his shaved head.

    Snow, who had worked at The Orleans for 18 months, was badly burned in the hotel's kitchen just a month before the tragic incident.

    On that February day, Koehler went to the bottom of the pit and reached Luzier. Koehler shouted to the men above that Luzier was OK and that they should get some rope. Then he too lost consciousness.

    Snow climbed in next but was quickly knocked out by the hydrogen sulfide fumes.

    In the frenzied aftermath, a Clark County Fire Department rescue squad arrived to pull all three men out of the hole. Only Snow was still alive, and barely so.

    Machines kept Snow alive for 23 days after the incident. His wife, Kelly, wasn't sure if he'd ever come back to her and their two young daughters.

    "We expected the worst," she said.

    Koehler didn't live to start a family of his own. He was to marry Krystle Johnson on 8/8/08, a date they viewed as symbolic of infinite love.

    His mom was helping the soon-to-be newlyweds find a new house. "A couple times I've had to stop myself from driving by a house and thinking, 'Oh, I need to tell Travis about that one,'" she said.

    After an investigation of the incident, state regulators cited Boyd Gaming for nine safety violations and fined the company $185,000. The company's profits were $117 million last year.

    Boyd spokesman Rob Stillwell praised Koehler and Snow's actions.

    "These two individuals acted selflessly and heroically in trying to save their fellow employee," he said.

    Snow is back on his feet, but he doesn't know how long he'll live. He's only 30, but the toxic fumes he inhaled did a number on his heart and lungs. His gall bladder has been removed. His risk of cancer is higher than before.

    He went back to work last June at Sam's Town, another Boyd property. His first job was sorting decks of playing cards. A few months later he was back at full duty.

    He recently was asked to check a reported methane smell in the hotel. From time to time, he sees sewer trucks at Sam's Town that he feels should have been called the day he nearly died.

    It's times like these when the events of last February come back to him.

    "Everything changed that day," he said. "There isn't a waking or sleeping moment when this doesn't go through my head."

    COMING TUESDAY: Meet a North Las Vegas woman who gave permanent homes to seven children not originally her own.



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    BJ MOORE wrote on January 24, 2008 02:40 PM: ok everyone, lets take a step back and stop and think about what you are going to write. I understand free speach and all, but this has gone a little off course. Remember what you have written effects the FAMILIES who are STILL GRIEVING. If you want to go and have LOL then maybe try MYSPACE ????
    Have some consideration. This is not a joking matter, at least not to us who care. this is not about you having an argument via posting comments. Do it elsewhere please...and Thank you. Put yourself in our position. How would you feel? whether you would have helped a friend or co-worker or not is not the point. SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR THE DEAD AND THEIR GRIEVING FAMILIES


    BJ wrote on January 24, 2008 02:33 PM: Ok everyone. Take a step back and think before you write. Everything you say here effects someone...ESPECIALLY THE FAMILIES. I understand free speach and all, but enough is enough. HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE DEAD AND THEIR FAMILIES. PLEASE!.... whether you agree with what happened or not. If you want to have a LOL, go do it on MYSPACE or somewhere else please


    Tiffany Bradshaw wrote on January 23, 2008 10:44 PM: You know it is really sad when people like Harvey have to seek attention this way. I would also like to discuss your comments in person I don't think you would be so tough face to face. You only wish you could be half the man Travis and Dave. Be careful of what you say because some day Karma may come back to haunt you.
    Travis we all love you and miss you and I am so proud of you. I am truly blessed to have known you. Thank you so much for the things you had taught me about life, I look up to you so much. Travis you will always be forever in my heart.


    Kelly Bradley wrote on January 23, 2008 10:13 AM: Harvey we already know your stupid and I can only guess if your stoned. I would love to futher discuss your comments in person and I can be reached at 278-7505.


    Peter 2 wrote on January 22, 2008 03:00 PM: (continued) or sending someone down in a dangerous situation without the proper equipment to extract him in case of emergency. So let all who read this article raise a glass in celebration of Travis and David for the men they are and wish that given a similar situation someone like them are there to try and save those in need.
    Thank you to Travis' and David's parents for raising them to be the Heros they are !!!
    Thank you Travis and David for being there and at least trying and save another human being. You will not be forgotten. You will live on forever in our memories.


    Peter wrote on January 22, 2008 02:58 PM: I am writing this to bring back the focus of this article – that it isn’t about an Idiot named Harvey – his 15 seconds of fame should be over. This article is written about Travis Koehler and David Snow and the heroic act they both performed; one paid for with his life and one with his health. They both are obviously a cut above the normal person – because they did not care about their own safety when faced with a fellow employee dying in front of their eyes. Travis forfeited his own life trying to save another and David did the same of his health. Travis was my Stepson while I only got to know him about 1 year before his untimely death – I am proud to say I knew him – He was a great kid and while he was only on this earth for 26 years his legacy will carry on for years after I have lived my full live and passed on. There are many people that knew Travis and loved him enough to show it from attending his unfortunate passing and soon coming from all over this country to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of his passing next month. Travis was the type of person that would do whatever it took to help the less fortunate, and there are many people in this world that will never understand what he was like. Travis would rather die trying to save another than to be like those that stood around watching Richard working in the hole collapsing and do nothing about it. They must live with the psychological issues of watching another human die in front of them while doing nothing – (Continued - see Peter 2)


    ROBERT ''POPS'' KOEHLER wrote on January 22, 2008 11:02 AM: I'm somewhat dissapointed my son Bobby and i didn;t get a chance to talk about Travis in the article,which was done well.Travis was always a loving caring person.He loved his family,Krystle,and his job,and even if he didn't like you,he still would have given ''HARVEY''the shirt off of his back! It was in Trav's nature to help his fellow man, and those of us who attended his funeral,know as so many people stated Travis was ""TOLD" to go down in the hole.It's only a matter of time until "the truth prevails"!!Those of us who knew Travis know he would have done it anyway had he thought he could save his co-worker! Debi and I instilled those value's in all of our son's,and I am proud to be their father.As my niece Riana stated "WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND" not only to Harvey's kind but to the "OWNERS,MANAGEMENT,and COWARDS" that ordered Travis into the hole.As those of us who have and still do live in Las Vegas know it's all about the "ALMIGHTY" dollar! I do not want to be standing remotely close to any of these people responsible for Trav's death on "JUDGEMENT DAY". A "REAL MAN" went into the sewer pits to his death without proper safety equiptment or training, while management watched knowing there could be "TOXIC" fumes down there,I hope they can't sleep at night, as we can't either!117"MILLION" in profit yet they can't afford to hire "PROPERLY TRAINED" outside contractors to do their "UNSAFE"work? Sad. The fine of 185 thousand takes the casino only a matter of hour to make. As time goes on we will see what local,state, and federal officials and politicians are in their back pocket.I love you TRAVIS, I always admired your fortitude, you're forever with me.

    love "POPS"


    Riana wrote on January 22, 2008 09:50 AM: David- thank you. You are appreciated more than you know.

    hey "Cuz"- we all love and miss you.


    Harvey, I am sorry that you havent matured enough to respect people or LIFE as these men did. They respected life so much that they tried to make sure their friends stayed alive.

    They understood what it meant to be ALIVE. As any hero would.

    One day you will lose something or someone important to you and you will understand where we all have been for the past year. I had originally put "yeah- to south with you" as my first sentence of this, but I am a believer in what goes around comes around. One day you will understand- even if it IS down south. I am sorry for you.


    BJ wrote on January 22, 2008 06:36 AM: God Bless you David. Thank you for your efforts. You are stronger than The Ignorant man. He will never meet Travis, or Richard again as we all will. He will be ...going south!


    BJ wrote on January 22, 2008 06:29 AM: no matter what anyone says, or thinks, or just assumes, will never bring Travis and Richard back. Those IGNORANT people who post comments without knowing what the facts were, or were there when it happened, or the effect their ignorant comment will have on the families who are still grieving, well, they are not worth still being here, and the good ones gone. Travis would never had made a comment like that about anyone. You are a cruel, ignorant man. Travis had more love and giving in his short life than you probably ever will. So sorry for you.


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