Hero inmate reunited with lost family

Marco Sanchez, the Graves County inmate honored for helping to pull people from the rubble of the Mayfield candle factory, received a special surprise on Thursday.

Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden said he was contacted by a woman from Arizona who had seen social media posts about Sanchez, and believed Sanchez could be her brother. The family had lost touch with him nearly twenty years ago. 

On Thursday, Sanchez was reunited with his sister and two nieces he had never met via a Zoom meeting. Sheriff Hayden surprised Sanchez with the meeting after telling him it was going to be just another TV interview.

Sanchez is scheduled to complete his sentence and be released on Tuesday. 

Hayden said several county officials are helping Sanchez to find work and a place to live when he is released.



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Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden honored an inmate who helped rescue others in the aftermath of the December 10th tornado, with the Sheriff's Meritorious Award.

Hayden said that in the days after the storm, stories were circulating about an inmate pulling victims from the rubble of the candle factory. The stories were persistent enough to spark an interest in finding the individual. 

After checking with jail staff, it was determined that the individual was Marco Sanchez. Sanchez was on a work detail at the candle factory on December 10th, and he was in the building when it collapsed.

Sanchez was injured, but was able to get out of the rubble. Even with cracked ribs and a broken leg, he found tools and went back in to help and free others who were trapped. 

Sanchez, later joined several others who were injured and caught a ride to the hospital with a volunteer fireman. After he was treated, Sanchez approached a state trooper to turn himself back in. The trooper was unable to take him back into custody at that time, and asked Sanchez to do the right thing.

Once he learned that the jail had been destroyed, Sanchez found a bus that took him to a shelter, where he was able to get in contact with the jail staff.

Hayden said that Marco Sanchez had many choices of how to handle his situation, and he made the right ones--likely saving lives.

McCracken Circuit Judge Tim Kaltenbach, his sentencing judge, was informed of the Sanchez story and held a hearing last week. Judge Kaltenbach determined that there were only 14 days left on the sentence. Sanchez decided to serve those days, instead of taking shock probation.

Sanchez will be released on March 1st.

Sheriff Hayden said that Sanchez has been helping county agencies move their offices, in the days since. Hayden added that Sanchez will be needing a place to live and a job, and he hopes someone will give him an opportunity, upon his release.

The ceremony to honor Marco Sanchez was attended by Jailer George Workman, Police Chief Nathan Kent, Judge Executive Jesse Perry, Mayor Kathy O'Nan, and county commissioners Richie Galloway and Todd Hayden.

Comments on the Sheriff's Facebook post have been rolling in, including some job offers, and questions about how people can help monetarily. Hayden said he will be posting more information about Sanchez's abilities. Donations can be made through Independence Bank in Fancy Farm, as part of the Mayfield-Graves County Tornado Relief Fund. Donors are asked to specify that it is for Marco Sanchez.