Editing Harry R. Truman (section)

==Celebrity==
Although Truman was already well-known by local residents for his various antics, he became an even bigger celebrity during the two months of volcanic activity preceding the deadly eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. Truman gave several interviews to reporters and expressed his opinion that the danger of a volcanic eruption was exaggerated. "I don't have any idea whether it will blow," he said, "but I don't believe it to the point that I'm going to pack up."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=50MyAAAAIBAJ&pg=3106,4578982|title=83-year old Man Isn't Shaken by Mount St. Helens Earthquakes|work=[[Lawrence Journal-World]]|date=March 25, 1980|page=2|access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> Truman displayed little concern about the volcano and his situation: "If the mountain goes, I'm going with it. This area is heavily timbered, Spirit Lake is in between me and the mountain, and the mountain is a mile away, the mountain ain't gonna hurt me."{{sfn|Green|Carlson|Myers|2002|p=29}} Law enforcement and Forest Service officials were frustrated by his refusal to evacuate because the media continued to enter the volcano's restricted zone to interview him, endangering themselves in the process. Still, Truman remained steadfast. "You couldn't pull me out with a mule team. That mountain's part of Truman and Truman's part of that mountain."{{sfn|Slatta|2001|p=351}}

Truman told reporters that he was knocked from his bed by precursor earthquakes, so he responded by moving his bed to the basement.<ref name=Bull/> He claimed to wear spurs to bed to cope with the earthquakes while he slept.{{sfn|Findley|1981|p=5}} He scoffed at the public's concern for his safety,<ref name=Bull/> responding to scientists' claims about the threat of the volcano that "the mountain has shot its wad and it hasn't hurt my place a bit, but those goddamn [[geologist|geologists]] with their hair down to their butts wouldn't pay no attention to ol' Truman."{{sfn|Slatta|2001|p=351}}

As a result of his defiant commentary, Truman became an impromptu folk hero,<ref name=Bull/> and was the subject of many songs and poems by children.<ref name=des>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=czQpAAAAIBAJ&pg=6897,4384613&dq=|title=Family, friends say goodbye to Harry|agency=[[Associated Press]] / [[United Press International]]|date=June 16, 1980|work=The Deseret News|page=A3}}</ref> One group of school children from [[Salem, Oregon]], sent him banners inscribed "Harry – We Love You", which moved him so much that he took a helicopter trip (arranged and paid for by ''[[National Geographic]]''){{sfn|Slatta|2001|p=352}} to visit them on May 14.{{sfn|Findley|1981|p=5}} He also received many fan letters,<ref name=sis/> including several marriage proposals.<ref>{{cite news|title=Harry Truman feared lost on mountain|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=53RbAAAAIBAJ&pg=6497,3615013&dq=harry+truman&hl=en|newspaper=The Madison Courier|date=May 24, 1980|page=B5}}</ref> A group of fifth grade students from [[Grand Blanc, Michigan]], wrote letters that brought him to tears. In return, he sent them a letter and volcanic ash, which the children later sold to send flowers to his family after the eruption.{{sfn|Slatta|2001|p=352}}

Truman caused a media frenzy, appearing on the front pages of ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''[[The San Francisco Examiner]]'' and attracting the attention of ''National Geographic'', [[United Press International]], and ''[[Today (U.S. TV program)|The Today Show]]''.{{sfn|Slatta|2001|pp=351–352}} Many major magazines composed profiles, including ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'', ''[[Newsweek]]'', ''[[Field & Stream]]'', and ''[[Reader's Digest]]''. Historian Richard W. Slatta wrote that "his fiery attitude, brash speech, love of the outdoors, and fierce independence… made him a folk hero the media could adore."{{sfn|Slatta|2001|p=352}} Slatta pointed to Truman's "unbendable character and response to the forces of nature" as a source of his rise to fame, and the interviews with him added "color" to reports about the events at Mount St. Helens.{{sfn|Slatta|2001|pp=349–350}} Truman was immortalized, according to Slatta, "with many of the embellished qualities of the western hero," and the media spotlight created a persona that was "in some ways quite different from his true character."{{sfn|Slatta|2001|p=350}}