Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Fire update

Don wrote the following.

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Patrice asked me to give you all an update on our GoFundMe efforts to help out our friends, Dallas and Susie, who lost their home in a wildfire. As of this writing, we're over $20,000 – not too shabby for one week! Thank you to all of you who have donated. Dallas and Susie are incredibly grateful to you all.

Older daughter (who lives closer to our old neighborhood than we do) traveled there to take some pictures. She was quite disturbed to see so many of the places she's known since childhood looking like moonscapes.

Here's a before-and-after of a portion of the road. Despite walking this section hundreds of times, I can't figure out exactly where that second photo was taken. I think that shook me up more than anything.

Before:

After:

Here's a photo of what's left of Dallas and Susie's place. I don't have a "before" photo, so you'll just have to imagine a snug one-and-a-half story cedar cabin with an amazing canyon view out the north windows. Inside on the first floor was a living room/kitchen combo, with a bathroom and small guest bedroom. The second-floor loft was their main bedroom.

The living room was filled with years of memories: Pendleton blankets, comfortable easy chairs, numerous cowboy hats (Dallas is a cowboy – yes, really), western posters, and a bear skin rug with a story behind it.

The kitchen had a big wood cookstove, and Susie's father – as a gift of love to her – made the hickory cabinets before he passed away. There was a chest freezer filled with venison and elk steaks, and a large pantry filled with canned food put up by Dallas, who loves to can.

All gone now.

Nothing can bring any of this back; but thanks to your generosity, and that of the neighbors and community, they're starting to get back on their feet.

So thank you again for all your prayers and support. We'll let you know more as things develop.

2 comments:

  1. This truely brought tears to my eyes. They have been in my prayers since Patrice posted the terrible news. I'm thankful they have their lives and their memories.

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  2. I cried when I heard the comment about the cabinets her dad made for her. Thank you for the update.

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