Just too sad
I was going to write about our 4 night trip to San Diego today... there is so much to write about and I don't want to lose all the best parts (you know, the good stuff involving nice restaurants and vomit...).
But that is going to have to wait another day or so, because I am too sad to write about something so lighthearted today. You see, a young mother and her child died yesterday in a nearby city.
My husband, "firedaddy" was paged Sunday morning at 4:45 am. It was a call to back up a nearby city's fire department on a structure fire. He jumped into action and immediately went to the fire station. His department never did get to respond, because the other city's department got the fire under control within an hour.
But a young single mother named Kris and her 8 month old daughter Lilly died in that fire. It happened so fast. A neighbor saw them standing in the doorway leading into the stairwell and the mom was screaming and holding her baby tightly. But the fire in the stairwell was too much for anyone to be able to get to them or for them to get through on their own. Then a big gust of wind blew choking smoke toward their apartment door and she closed the door and went back inside.
The neighbor ran around the back and said she still heard the young mother screaming. But she never appeared at a window. Some accounts state there was an explosion around this time. Several others in the 4-plex did jump out of the back windows to escape flames. But she never made it that far.
By the time the firefighters broke through a window into her apartment (the third one they broke, the first two had too heavy of smoke coming out to get inside), it was too late. They found both the mom and baby, dead already.
I am so sad at this tragic loss of life. I hope and PRAY it was the smoke that overcame them, and not the flames. I hope her screams were instinctual from her fear over the situation, and not screams of pain. I know Kris and baby Lilly are at peace now, but I hope with all my heart they didn't suffer. I hope their close family members can find peace and comfort somehow.
I know tragedies like this happen every day. Tragedies involving children, babies, and innocent adults. I can hardly stand to think about it.
As soon as I start feeling like I can be lighthearted again, I will write about San Diego.
Peace. Holly. Written on Monday, August 01, 2005
6 Comments:
I browsed by your blog today and I had to post a comment. This story is such a sad one, and hits close to home for me. My best friend died in a similar type of fire, under different circumstances. He went into a burning home to help someone get out - a pregnant woman. The smoke overcame him and he died. He was not a fireman, this was simply the type of person he was. He's been gone for 17 years now and I still grieve over the hole left in my life by his absence.
These sorts of things are so tragic and leave one wondering why? It makes no sense. The Lord has control over all, but sometimes that's little consolation when you're the one left with the emptiness.
I hope that you and fireman can come to terms with such a tragic thing. Even though you didn't know them, you were obviously affected deeply by what happened. I don't even know you but you ae in my thoughts and prayers.
Yes, it is a very sad story. And you are a special person to feel it so deeply.
Thank you for sharing your feelings. I hope you are feeling less sad soon.
Hug.
How heartbreaking. That is the sort of thing that can haunt somebody for months. I will keep the family of the mom & baby in my prayers. And you, too. You are such a kind-hearted person, Holly.
Thanks everyone. It is heartbreaking, and I appreciate your kind words.
It was published today that Kris and Lilly's deaths were ruled as death by carbon monoxide poisoning. At least there is that.
She was on the phone with 911 up until she lost consiousness. She was in the kitchen and put Lilly in the sink filled with water to protect her little body.
But the 911 dispatcher wasn't able to talk her over to the back windows, where the other upper level occupants of the 4-plex had jumped to safety from their apartment.
She must have been scared, confused, and disoriented. But really, by all accounts, it happened literally over the course of mere minutes. It was that fast.
Be safe, and be prepared for things such as this.
Sigh. I know this is incredibly heart-breaking.
I just hate hearing of stories like these. I am so sorry to hear of their loss. I will keep them, and their family in my prayers.
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