April 08, 2007

After I made my last post on Thursday I ran a bunch of errands and at 5:30 me and Laura ran into town to get her soccer stuff that she needed to play in 27 degree weather for that evenings 8pm game. We rushed back home and pulled into the holler at about 6:45. As we turned the curve, I see all kinds of trucks and flashing lights, cars pulled off the side of the road and people EVERYWHERE. I remember thinking irrationally that the hillside slipped off and they were fixing it. Until I saw the billowing cloud of smoke. I cannot even tell you the panic that ran through me and the shock at seeing Bills Mom and Dad's house engulfed in flames. I jumped out of the car and ran as fast as I could, which was not fast enough in my mind toward the house... My sister, her two small babies, Dad and my brother in law were in that house that I knew of. Seeing my sister walking towards me gave me a slight twinge of relief and I just grabbed her and started asking about everyone, if everyone got out ok. She said that everyone got out.. barely, that my little boy Joe had came over to bring catfood and saw the smoke in the back room. He yelled for Becky and she came to look and saw the smoke. She said even as she was opening the door, she knew she shouldn't but it was too late. The backflash put her to her knees, the baby was right behind her, Joe was still in the hall and he started screaming to everyone that the house was on fire, to get out. Beck got the baby and ran down the hall as it filled with smoke, her husband took the other and Dad and Joe went out. As they got outside they saw that the roof was completely engulfed in flames. Joe took off back towards the house and they thought he was trying to get back in, but he was getting the new kitten Beck had gotten that day off of the porch. Mark was up front with him and saw him and freaked, Beck and Dad were at the bottom of the house out back and thought Joe was still in the house and freaked. They all finally got together and Becky ran over here to get Bill and he went over but they weren't able to save a thing. They called 911, but it took 30 minutes for anyone to get here, and when the fire trucks did get here... They had no fucking water in them! I still can't get over that. Becky started to freak out over the kitty cause she was thinking it was burning alive and Joe told her it was ok, he got the kitty and put it in the car. Joe is our little hero!
By the time I got home, most of the house was gone. Standing there watching the rest of it burn to the ground was heartwrenching. It made me physically ill. These two people that owned this house built it from the ground up, check by check on a very small salary with their own hands. They have pored their money, love and care into this house and it housed everything they owned in the world. The house was gorgeous, two stories with the prettiest decor you would find. Mommy spent her life working on her house and literally put her soul into each and every detail. She was in Ohio visiting her brother when it happened and she was told over the phone, she came home and watching her see that house was the single worst thing I thing I have ever witnessed in my life. These people do not deserve this, it makes no sense! They are the most loving, caring people I have ever met in my life.. never thinking of themselves and they give a whole new meaning to "give the shirt off your back". If they knew anyone needed help, they were and still are there. They left the military to care for her parents, and took excellent care of them until the day each passed and they both passed at home, with family surrounding them. Then Mom took care of Farris her whole life and then when he was diagnosed with cancer she nursed him and cared for him until the day he passed, laying in his own bed. She has always been there for us, and truly, I couldn't have picked better in laws if I had done interviews prior to marrying Bill!!
They are living here with us while they rebuild, they are trying to stay positive, but it is so hard. She had so many things that had so much meaning. And it is so hard to accept the level of loss. The house, and everything she has collected over her entire life, pictures, antiques.. things that belonged to her Mother, her Grandmother.. it makes you just want to cry for her. And of course, because we live so far from a fire station and have no city water.. you cannot get fire insurance here, so they did not have insurance. They have worked their whole lives, lived right, taken care of so many people, and now.. they have nothing. We are grateful and feel so blessed that everyone got out ok, I do not know how this family would ever get over a loss like that one... we are very close and it makes me sick to think of how much worse it could have been!
I laid in bed Thursday night next to my son and watched him sleep. I still can't think of how close I came to losing him that night and what could have went wrong, or any of Becks babies, her, Dad and Mark. Losing the house is devastating, but we can rebuild. We can buy back stuff, we can search for antiques to kind of replace some stuff, and I am going to do a "picture party" for Mom to see if we can get some pictures to replace the ones she lost.. but we could have had much bigger losses.
Donations are filtering in from family and friends and it is amazing to see. Someone will stop off and drop off a new set of clothes, or a pair of boots, a lunch box for Dad, a gift card for clothing or other items. Every bit helps and they are seeing how much they are loved in this community.
If you would like to help you may send donations to: (Money Orders made out to J. Howard or gift cards are great, they will have to buy.. well everything and rebuild)
J. Howard
Fire Fund
C/O Carol Howard
PO Box 345 Bonnyman KY 41719