'[He] Wasn't Supposed To Be There': Custodian Killed In Blast Went In Early
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Cheryl and Bill Hunstock were on vacation when they read about an explosion Wednesday morning at Minnehaha Academy.
The couple has known John Carlson for 30 years. He was one of the two victims killed in the blast.
"Our minds immediately went to John," Cheryl said.
Carlson, 81, was the custodian at Minnehaha Academy. He was known for often handing out Dilly Bars to students.
The Hunstocks say Carlson was married to his wife, Barbara, for more than 50 years.
Cheryl spoke to Barbara on the phone after the explosion.
"Barbara told me that he was not supposed to be there yesterday," she said. "He was supposed to go in at 3 o'clock, but John went in early a lot."
Carlson graduated from Minnehaha Academy, so did his four children.
After being a city bus driver for many years in Minneapolis, Carlson returned to Minnehaha Academy as a custodian.
He was a regular the Dairy Queen down the street, where he'd go to buy Dilly Bars for students.
This was John Carlson's DQ at 44th and Lake. Manager said he'd come in several times a week to stock up on Dilly Bars for kids @WCCO pic.twitter.com/kAqyIeCMwz
— Kate Raddatz (@RaddReport) August 3, 2017
"He was involved with so many things that didn't have anything to do with him except that he was with other people," said Bill Hunstock.
Friends, family and co-workers are also mourning the loss of Ruth Berg, a receptionist killed in the blast.
On Facebook, Berg's fiancé wrote that his betrothed often spoke about Carlson, saying that he'd stop by her desk to chat and share Dilly Bars.
"I get some comfort knowing he is with her," the fiancé, Mark Burrington, wrote.
Berg leaves behind a daughter.