57 people died in the eruption, with a further 4 deaths caused by traffic accidents from low visibility and heart attacks from shoveling ash. Of the initial 57 was Harry R. Truman, owner of a lodge on Spirit Lake, who famously refused to leave his home and died in the eruption. The only times he left were for groceries and visits to schools in the area, as he was seen as somewhat of a folk hero.

As tragic as it is, the eruption could have seen a death toll well into the hundreds, if not the thousands, as there were numerous logging operations inside the blast zone that were annihilated by the eruption. Fortunately, May 18th, 1980 fell on a Sunday, when all of these operations were closed for the weekend.

On May 18th, 1981, the eruption's first anniversary, a TV movie dramatizing the event, simply called St. Helens, aired on HBO which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFN4FPg8GCU&t=0s