What a Friday this has been for one Hanover Park family. Their home was devastated by a fast-moving fire earlier today, but the family of four managed to escape unharmed.
As I walked up to the burned out shell in the 2100 block of Laurel Avenue I could see what looked like a kitchen chair but not much else in the charred rubble.
I was quickly taken back to October of 2001.
I was living in Coos Bay, Oregon and came home for quick lunch only to find my house engulfed in smoke and flames.
It was surreal. As a reporter, I was used to covering fires and tragedies involving someone else. But I always thought it would never happen to me.
I ended up losing everything: my clothes, my furniture and sadly enough my animals; a chameleon and three geckos.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross came to my home that day and stayed with me until the fire was out.
They comforted me, let me cry on their shoulder and told me that in the end I would be okay because after all, everything that I lost in the fire could be replaced.
They were right.
I’m sure Red Cross volunteers have told this family the same thing.
Have you had a tragedy like this? I want to hear your story.
Comments (1)
Regina, thanks for sharing. I have come to realize in my ripe old age that no matter what happens, positive or negative, it happens for a reason.
But I was touched when I saw the fire victims on the news this morning...I hope that they recover quickly.
Posted by Krystal Morris | May 15, 2009 8:21 PM
Posted on May 15, 2009 20:21