AdminAssistant
01-02-2009, 12:35 AM
This happened while I was at home, thought I'd share.
Last Saturday I was at home (at my parents'). Dad saw a fire truck go by so he went out to see what was going on. (Dad is a retired volunteer first responder/fireman, but he still goes to fires sometimes if they need help running the water truck or something else non-physical). A fire had started in a shop due to an electrical short. It was VERY windy (about 40 mph gusts), and the house was caught. There was no way they could save it. When Dad got there, he tested the door - it was too hot for them to enter safely to save the animals inside.
The house is a few miles from ours, and Mom used to work at the with the woman (B) who lived there (with her husband, two dogs and a cat). The couple was out of town visiting relatives. After things calmed down enough, Mom went out there to see B and went through the house with her when it was safe. They found a couple of pictures, but pretty much everything was gone. The pets died of smoke inhalation.
Now, this is the heartwarming part. Before the fire department left, the couple had multiple offers of places to stay, appliances, clothing, food, and anything else they might need. The shop, where the fire started, was relatively unharmed (due to the wind) and B's husband was able to find other places to store his tools and equipment. Mom called B on Monday to check on them (and see if B got the giant bag of school-related shirts that Mom dropped off for her). They've got a semi-permanent place to stay until they get the insurance money to buy another house (they lived in a pre-manufactured home and plan on getting another one).
B, like Mom, is a breast cancer survivor. Mom asked her if she needed any prosthetics or bras, and B said that the owner of the local shop donated a prosthesis and numerous bras. B said that they have plenty of clothes, more food than they know what to do with, and many offers of furnishings for their house when they get it (including from Mom and Dad, they have an extra washer/dryer and small fridge). B also said that people have frequently gone up to her or her husband and handed them cash. And she's found a stray cat to take in.
It's just amazing to me how people step up like that in times of need - and this is all the local community. And they never even had to ask.
I know a lot of people are going through tough times right now, so I just thought I'd share.... There is hope for us, after all.
Last Saturday I was at home (at my parents'). Dad saw a fire truck go by so he went out to see what was going on. (Dad is a retired volunteer first responder/fireman, but he still goes to fires sometimes if they need help running the water truck or something else non-physical). A fire had started in a shop due to an electrical short. It was VERY windy (about 40 mph gusts), and the house was caught. There was no way they could save it. When Dad got there, he tested the door - it was too hot for them to enter safely to save the animals inside.
The house is a few miles from ours, and Mom used to work at the with the woman (B) who lived there (with her husband, two dogs and a cat). The couple was out of town visiting relatives. After things calmed down enough, Mom went out there to see B and went through the house with her when it was safe. They found a couple of pictures, but pretty much everything was gone. The pets died of smoke inhalation.
Now, this is the heartwarming part. Before the fire department left, the couple had multiple offers of places to stay, appliances, clothing, food, and anything else they might need. The shop, where the fire started, was relatively unharmed (due to the wind) and B's husband was able to find other places to store his tools and equipment. Mom called B on Monday to check on them (and see if B got the giant bag of school-related shirts that Mom dropped off for her). They've got a semi-permanent place to stay until they get the insurance money to buy another house (they lived in a pre-manufactured home and plan on getting another one).
B, like Mom, is a breast cancer survivor. Mom asked her if she needed any prosthetics or bras, and B said that the owner of the local shop donated a prosthesis and numerous bras. B said that they have plenty of clothes, more food than they know what to do with, and many offers of furnishings for their house when they get it (including from Mom and Dad, they have an extra washer/dryer and small fridge). B also said that people have frequently gone up to her or her husband and handed them cash. And she's found a stray cat to take in.
It's just amazing to me how people step up like that in times of need - and this is all the local community. And they never even had to ask.
I know a lot of people are going through tough times right now, so I just thought I'd share.... There is hope for us, after all.