What a Year!

This is what Mom looks at every day in
her living room

                       

Today marks the first year Anniversary of the fire at the Carie-villa.  On January 11, 2022 at around noon, fire broke out in the boiler room.  The Fire departments responded and worked many long hours on that cold day. They contained the fire as quickly as they could and managed to stop the spread.  The fire, smoke and water damage took its toll on the building.  Sadly, it was far more devastating than anyone could imagine at that time. Six people were permanently displaced and four were temporally displaced from their homes at their beloved Villa.  

The kindness chain began shortly after the fire broke out.  A firefighter had seen Mom's iPad sitting on her table and grabbed it because he knew it was important for her to have.  Someone else took the iPad and delivered it to Mom in Carnduff. At that point we feared Mom had lost everything, but she had her iPad.

Everyone was in a state of shock at the magnitude of the situation.  No one truly knew what was ahead, but family surrounded the residents and they were cared for not only by them, but the entire community.  

For us, Mom was safe at my nephew's home in Carnduff.  As my nephew fought the fire, his loving wife, helped Mom get through the first difficult hours.  There is no way I can begin to express my gratitude to my nephew's family for the care they gave Mom, the day of the fire, the days that followed and continues on each day since.  

And so began the process of grief and recovery. In true small community fashion, something else began and that was humanity at its finest.  The compassionate, sympathetic and generous behavior of people far and wide was unbelievable.   

As frail and sad as Mom was, it was the people that kept her going.  The doorbell would ring and there would be someone with a hug, tears and a gift to help her rebuild.  The phone kept ringing with someone checking in. There was an endless list of people offering to help in any way that they could. As helpless as we felt, we gained strength through the expressions of kindness.  

Some of the residents were able to recover some of their belongings, but their loss got bigger as time went on. For Mom, we found some of her jewelry and a few other treasures but basically it was a total loss for her.  My nephew found a picture of Dad and cleaned it up and gave it to Mom.  What a utter treasure that picture is.   

I have always known that Seniors are a tough lot, and the residents of the Villa were certainly an example of strength through out their ordeal. Don't get me wrong they had to dig deep some days, but who at any point in their lives would recover from losing their home? The support system they had developed by living in the Villa was gone.  They loved each other like family and many were family.  For 17 years my mom had gone out her door to the hall to have a chat, check on someone or have coffee.  She loved her Villa life and we had it planned that is where she was going to live until she couldn't anymore. That was not to be. 

So, the moving on began.  We found Mom a duplex across from her childhood best friend.  She was settled by February 6th in a new home, in a new town, with new neighbors, new possessions, new clothes, and what would soon become a new life.  It was the dead of winter, following isolation through two Colorado lows spring did come, then summer followed by fall and now winter again. 

Our entire family is humbled by the love and support of the community.  There is no way we could possibly begin to thank the people that helped each of us during the last year.  All of our lives were disrupted, but we realize we are no better than others and it was just our turn to have our lives disrupted. What can a person say to dozens of people that will help them understand how important they were in our time of need.  No act is ever to small, a simple hug was one of the most powerful things you can ever give. Mom remembers every thoughtful and generous gift, phone calls, spontaneous visits to her new home, hugs and the list goes on.                                                                                                            

Has this last year been easy, not by a stretch. In reflection, the list of good things is starting to mount.  Mom has learned this past year to be techy and can now use a cell phone.  She can text which is a wonderful way to communicate.  We Facetime nearly every day.  She has renewed her love of doing puzzles and with her new table she can sit and puzzle away. She loves the Second Chance store and being able to walk to stores is new and exciting.  She has realized she is stronger than she ever thought she could be.  She decided to live life on the edge one day when a huge evergreen tree fell just 6 feet from her home.  She survived many long hours of no power during a spring storm.  So many ups and downs through-out this year but that is everyone's life. 

Looking back a year later, it is totally unbelievable how time has helped Mom to accept her new life and move forward.  There has just been so much happen in a year.  Mom is settled into her duplex in Carnduff.  She has all new things, not that she wanted them but has always liked new things.  She has so many people in her circle of life, that make her day better.  I am really proud of how strong and resilient Mom has become during this year. When it is said it takes a year to get over something, it does.  Do you totally get over it, probably not, you just develop a new way of living.  I am going to quote my Dad right now as he would want to say to each of you who helped in any small way "God Bless You". 

This evergreen tree fell during one of the Colorado 
Lows that went through in April

Mom enjoys tea everyday
with her Bestie