In the late summer of 2006, the life of Charles Edward Hairston, a 58-year-old man from Donora, Pennsylvania, a community near Pittsburgh, came to an unexpected end. On Thursday, September 28, 2006, he died in the emergency room of Mon Valley Hospital. The specific circumstances surrounding his sudden death were not publicly detailed.
Born in Axton, Virginia, on February 14, 1948, Hairston was a man whose life was marked by service and athleticism. He was a 1967 graduate of Donora High School, where he had distinguished himself as a talented track star. Following high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served his country during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1969. His time in the service was fraught with danger, evidenced by the five Purple Hearts he was awarded for wounds sustained in combat. Upon returning to civilian life, he found employment at the Allenport Plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Co.
At the time of his passing, there was no information released to the public that would indicate any suspicion of foul play, and consequently, there were no reports of any arrests or suspects in connection with his death. His obituary painted a picture of a man with a large and loving family, leaving behind his adoptive mother, several children, sisters, and his fiancée and companion of 21 years. His death was a sudden loss to his family and the community where he had established his life after his military service.
