On July 27, 2007, CN’s president and chief executive officer made a tragic announcement.  This is the text of that announcement:  I have the sad duty to inform you that our colleague Daniel Riels was fatally injured this morning during a switching operation in the Fulton, Kentucky Yard. Mr. Riels was a conductor who had been with CN for five years. He was 46, and from Dresden, Tennessee.  A tragedy such as this affects everyone in the company. I know you join me in expressing our deepest sorrow and condolences to Mr. Riels’ friends and family, including his brother James who works for us as a locomotive engineer out of the Fulton Yard.  We all have a passion for this industry, but it can be an unforgiving one. A tragedy such as today’s reminds us how crucial it is to perform every task, no matter how routine, with all the care and attention you can to ensure the safety of yourself and your colleagues.

E. Hunter Harrison

I’M FREE

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free;

I’m following the path God laid for me. I took His hand when I heard Him call;

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way; I found that place at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss; Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow; I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life’s been full, I savored much; Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;

Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your heart and share with me; God wanted me now, He set me free.

It doesn’t matter where you go in life . . . what you do . . . Or how much you have . . . It’s who you have beside you.

No farewell words were spoken.

No time to say goodbye. You were gone before we knew it and only God knows why.

If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.

Lourisa “Lisa” Riels, Wife 

 

  

         

A MUSEUM

As I look into a mirror, I see the museum of life. A wrinkle might take me down memory lane,

My eyes the paintings of love and pain, My nose in a frame to show the mountains I fell,

Those are the one’s I climbed well, My ears on display to recognize the sounds of life,

My lips, a portrait of curving roads, Filled with dreams and goals,

Oh, the things I see, In this art show of me!

Always on my mind and in my heart. LUV IT!  

              Shirley Bell, Mother  

 

DAD You left us peaceful memories,

Your love is still our guide, And though we cannot see you,

You are always at our side.

Your life was a blessing, Your memory a treasure,

You are loved beyond words, And missed beyond measure.

Our family chain is broke,

And nothing seems the same, But as God calls us one by one,

The chain will link again...

SOMEDAY SOON We’ve had our ups, we’ve had our downs,

We’ve had our smiles, we’ve had our frowns, As we grew up day by day,

We never knew it would turn out this way. We understand why you had to go, It was your time, so we let you go.

Now you’re in Heaven without pain or sorrow, That’s what gets us through the tomorrows. We know you’re in Heaven without a doubt.

But now you’re all we can think about. We know you’re in a better place,

And someday soon we’ll see your face . . .

Dana Anderson, Daughter

You were such a beautiful person, beautiful in and out, You taught us some valuable life lessons,

You taught us what love is about.

And now we miss you so very much, We hurt way deep inside,

We’ve cried a river, We’ve cried a lake, And still, it’s so hard to take.

We love you in our hearts, We love you in our souls,

And now that you are gone, We no longer feel quite whole.

Maggie Lewis, Daughter 

 

Are you happy with me, or are you mad at me?

Noah Riels, Son

You left and forgot to tell our hearts how to live without you.

It has been said that the man who loves his life,

Will lose it. And the man that hates his life,

Will keep it forever.

Linda Gray, Sister 

AWW...RITE GOOD!

Kenneth Riels, Brother

It’s me, it’s me, it’s Ernest “T”, Hidin behind this pine tree!

Down here in Tennessee!

Holly Trout, 1st Cousin  

For having known him, we are blessed. He was a husband, a father, our brother, our friend,

And as we wrestle with our mourning, We seek the hope of understanding.

Daniel, our Brother, will be ridin’ that long black train!

James W. Riels, Brother

 

Daniel W. Riels was 46 and had been with the CN for over 5 years. He was preceded in death by his father, James D. Riels, and is survived by his wife Lisa and his children, Dana Anderson and spouse Titus, Maggie

Lewis, Noah Riels and granddaughter Katelyn Anderson; his mother Shirley A. Bell and spouse Don; his sister Linda A. Gray and spouse Tommy; his brothers James W. Riels (CN locomotive engineer) and spouse

Marta, Phillip F. Riels and Kenneth E. Riels, as well as his father’s widow, Mary Alene Riels.

International Star Registry Know ye herewith that the International Star Registry doth hereby * redesignate star number * Cancer RA 8h 5m 48s D 25" 18' to the name * Daniel Riels

Know ye further that this star will henceforth be known by this name * This name is permanently filed in The Registry’s vault in * Switzerland and recorded in a book which will be registered in the copyright office of the * United States of America * *

Presented to Shirley Bell by Vicky Prencavage, Daniel’s Cousin