Homeless after devastating fire!
Donation protected
First off, let me thank you for your concern, thoughts, prayers, well wishes, and offers of help!
Please be patient with me. I did lose everything, except my life. I escaped in my underwear carrying a pair of jeans, my wallet, the wrong glasses, and couldn't find my lower front four dental bridge!
Here's a synopsis of what did happen.
Friday June 17th @ 8:45 pm I was in for the night on Facebook. We were on a run of 100 degree days! Everything here was tinder, including Winnie who had just celebrated her 40th birthday! The fridge had been acting up a few days, and the week before I had cleaned it and attributed it to all the extremely hot weather.
8:45 I hear popping and crackling, like you hear around a bonfire! I immediately grabbed a flashlight and ran outside to check the fridge. It was the only gas appliance turned on!
You could see little flames along the side running up the inside wall! I ran in @ 8:49 and grabbed the coffee pot and started throwing water on it! Shorted out the wiring! I looked up and could see flames coming out the fridge roof vent! I had been to the creek earlier and the pump was still in the 250 gallon tank so up to the roof I went with the garden hose! No luck, flames had spread to the roof. Down I went. Inside to find Miss Kitty and smoke was inside already! I hollered for Miss Kitty, quickly checked her favorite spots. No where to be found! I grabbed 2 gallon jugs of water and up to the roof a 2nd time! Hose and jugs did no good!
Down the ladder and it broke, or I fell off and broke the ladder trying to break my fall! Not sure of which. Inside again looking for for Miss Kitty.
When I got in, the fire was spreading very quickly across the carpeted ceiling, and I could smell my hair burning, so I got on on all fours and crawled all over looking for Miss Kitty! Still no luck. For a split second I thought about staying with Miss Kitty! Why I didn't stay I don't know, but I stood outside and screamed for Kitty while putting my jeans on! Last thing I saw was the clock inside. 9:01! 12 minutes total to lose everything!
It wasn't til after 11 pm they let me down to Winnie! I turned the flashlight on and there was Miss Kitty laying near the shed! She wasn't burned, but struggling to breath! She saw me, heard my voice and bobbed her head up for a second! I started petting her head and crying, telling her I was so sorry I couldn't save her! By habit she rolled over for a belly rub! It hurt her so I stopped! She rolled over on her other side and a minute later was gone! But I know she knew I was there! I know she is at peace with Bubba and God!
I have felt the same anger, hate, frustration, and disgust with myself for not being able to save the most precious thing in my life. 35 years ago when Baby Girl Jen's Mom was attacked at my home and raped, and I wasn't there to save Teresa either! Not too many people know that! It was the reason I chose to spend my life alone!
I will post more as I can come to gripes with reality! If you're reading this now, it means I have internet in OZ, and updates will follow! I have many thanks to give! And I will be giving many. But in the meantime I need 2 things from each and every one of you! I want you to pray for Miss Kitty, and second, I want you to remember those in your life that are so precious to you. Hug them, kiss them, tell them you love them! In person, by phone, a note, any way you can! DO NOT let today go by and not tell them! Life is too short not to let them know!
Thank you!
Please be patient with me. I did lose everything, except my life. I escaped in my underwear carrying a pair of jeans, my wallet, the wrong glasses, and couldn't find my lower front four dental bridge!
Here's a synopsis of what did happen.
Friday June 17th @ 8:45 pm I was in for the night on Facebook. We were on a run of 100 degree days! Everything here was tinder, including Winnie who had just celebrated her 40th birthday! The fridge had been acting up a few days, and the week before I had cleaned it and attributed it to all the extremely hot weather.
8:45 I hear popping and crackling, like you hear around a bonfire! I immediately grabbed a flashlight and ran outside to check the fridge. It was the only gas appliance turned on!
You could see little flames along the side running up the inside wall! I ran in @ 8:49 and grabbed the coffee pot and started throwing water on it! Shorted out the wiring! I looked up and could see flames coming out the fridge roof vent! I had been to the creek earlier and the pump was still in the 250 gallon tank so up to the roof I went with the garden hose! No luck, flames had spread to the roof. Down I went. Inside to find Miss Kitty and smoke was inside already! I hollered for Miss Kitty, quickly checked her favorite spots. No where to be found! I grabbed 2 gallon jugs of water and up to the roof a 2nd time! Hose and jugs did no good!
Down the ladder and it broke, or I fell off and broke the ladder trying to break my fall! Not sure of which. Inside again looking for for Miss Kitty.
When I got in, the fire was spreading very quickly across the carpeted ceiling, and I could smell my hair burning, so I got on on all fours and crawled all over looking for Miss Kitty! Still no luck. For a split second I thought about staying with Miss Kitty! Why I didn't stay I don't know, but I stood outside and screamed for Kitty while putting my jeans on! Last thing I saw was the clock inside. 9:01! 12 minutes total to lose everything!
It wasn't til after 11 pm they let me down to Winnie! I turned the flashlight on and there was Miss Kitty laying near the shed! She wasn't burned, but struggling to breath! She saw me, heard my voice and bobbed her head up for a second! I started petting her head and crying, telling her I was so sorry I couldn't save her! By habit she rolled over for a belly rub! It hurt her so I stopped! She rolled over on her other side and a minute later was gone! But I know she knew I was there! I know she is at peace with Bubba and God!
I have felt the same anger, hate, frustration, and disgust with myself for not being able to save the most precious thing in my life. 35 years ago when Baby Girl Jen's Mom was attacked at my home and raped, and I wasn't there to save Teresa either! Not too many people know that! It was the reason I chose to spend my life alone!
I will post more as I can come to gripes with reality! If you're reading this now, it means I have internet in OZ, and updates will follow! I have many thanks to give! And I will be giving many. But in the meantime I need 2 things from each and every one of you! I want you to pray for Miss Kitty, and second, I want you to remember those in your life that are so precious to you. Hug them, kiss them, tell them you love them! In person, by phone, a note, any way you can! DO NOT let today go by and not tell them! Life is too short not to let them know!
Thank you!
Organiser
Gregg Hammond
Organiser
Willow Springs, MO
