On December 30th, 2021. My sister Katie and my mother Vickie were having a lazy morning lounging in their pajamas. At around 12pm Katie began to smell smoke, went upstairs to take a look out the window and saw flames coming towards their house. She yelled to my mom that they needed to get out and as she ran down the stairs, they got the reverse 911 saying to leave immediately. Katie grabbed Vickie’s oxygen concentrator, some extra oxygen tanks, their winter coats and boots and got their dog Blu into the car. Katie had realized their neighbor’s car was still in the driveway so she ran and banged on their door screaming for them to get out, but it was locked. As she ran around their house yelling for them and attempting to look through their windows, she managed to get one of them on the phone to confirm that they were out of town. This all happened within 7 minutes with ash raining down and smoke making it difficult to breathe and see. As they attempted to leave, traffic out of their neighborhood was gridlocked on every street, but Katie saw an opening through the gas station that allowed them to escape quickly.

Katie and Vickie received confirmation that their house 310 W Charles was destroyed the next morning from their neighbor. They are still under a mandatory evacuation and have not been able to go back to see where the house stood in order to gain closure. This is incredibly difficult, but they know that it is for their safety.

Vickie and Katie literally escaped with the clothes on their backs. They have lost everything, and although these are all material objects, many contained irreplaceable sentimental value and comfort: china that Vickie’s grandmother, aunt and late mother hand painted, paintings, antique furniture and years worth of photos. Recipes that Vickie’s grandmother had hand written for her when she first moved away from home. Years of genealogy work that Vickie had researched and documented of her family lineage. Katie’s color guard uniforms, videos of competitions and medals from both competing and coaching. Countless notes, drawings and gifts from Katie’s students both from this year and years past. Her personal laptop that contained all of her graduate work and research. As the days go on, there is a new thing remembered that was lost.

Vickie is using oxygen 24/7 due to her interstitial lung disease and is unable to work. Katie helps support both of them as a Boulder Valley 3rd grade teacher at Coal Creek Elementary school, a school that has seen 41 of their own students and families lose everything as well.

There are many things that Vickie and Katie will need to rebuild their lives, some sooner rather than later such as Vickie’s portable charging oxygen concentrator, Katie’s school supplies, professional wardrobe, makeup, and shoes. Then there will be the things they will need once they find long term housing to be able to live.

Vickie and Katie have touched so many lives over the years and we are asking, if you are able to support them during this incredibly difficult time. If you have already donated, we can’t thank you enough. Know that your outpouring of support has meant everything to them and is providing them the hope they need to continue on. Through their community they will get through this. We will continue to updated everyone with status of how they are doing and their living situation.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you again.