Fire Changes Everything!
FIRE DESTROYS EVERYTHING
That was our reality 3 years ago today. On Friday, November 18, 2022, Chris and I, along with our dog Sundance, survived a total home fire. We lost… basically everything. Everything that is, except what was, and is, truly important.
What follows is the email that I wrote to family and friends a few days after our fire. The photo at the beginning of this Blog is a real one from that day, after the fire was put out, and our lives were changed forever.
Last Friday, 11/18/25, was an horrific day for us, we had a catastrophic loss.
After a grueling 5.5 hour slog through Los Angeles traffic on the evening of November 17th, we overnighted at a rest stop several miles east of LA. The next morning (11/18) we did our normal "Morning Check" of our motorhome and towed car. All was well, and we got on the road. After a couple of hours, we stopped for fuel, both for the motorhome and our own stomachs. We were about 80 miles from the California/Arizona border, traveling back to my dad's home, in southern New Mexico. As we were heading out of the Palm Desert, CA area, our water light came on. As we were going up a decent incline, Chris stated that we needed to wait and see, before doing anything about the water light. When the road leveled out a bit, the light went off, but, as soon as we began to pull a little grade - back on, level out - back off. No other lights came on, nor was there any indication of a hot engine, or anything else. As quickly as we could, approximately 6 miles down the highway, we stopped at the Cactus City, CA rest area. We parked, and Chris went to the back to check the engine compartment. As he was reaching for the grate cover of the engine, orange flames shot out. Thankfully he was not burned! He came racing back to the motorhome door, shouting, “Get out, we’re on FIRE!” We scurried to get our little fire extinguisher, which Chris emptied on the flames in a matter of seconds - it did nothing. He ran to the other side and turned on the water pump, and got a bucket. He tried to pour some water on the fire, but that didn't help either. Next, Chris endeavored to cut loose our car from the tow dolly; however, it was too hot and dangerous for him to actually do it. Thankfully he was not burned!! During all of Chris’ efforts, I was trying to corral and marshal the dog, getting my purse over my head, and our phone out, and dialing 9-1-1. A couple, who was stopped at that rest area to use the facilities, came over to me and offered the use of one of their phones, so that I could also call my dad, Henry. Upon reassuring him that “No!” He didn’t need to race his 89 year old self to us, and that I would call him back as soon as the fire fighters arrived, I hung up with him to call our motorhome insurance company. On my other ear, the 9-1-1 operator was still trying to figure out where we were!!
Firefighters came from thirty miles away and arrived about 12 minutes after calling 9-1-1. They worked for 45 minutes to contain the blaze, but once they knew that no one was inside, they seemed to just watch everything burn. There's no way to know if it was just that fire department’s protocols, or if they were somewhat unsure of how to deal with a motorhome on fire, or what. Chris realized that the two small propane tanks, for our BBQ, were in the undercarriage storage compartments, so he and the man that had stopped to help us, were able remove those and to save a few crates of our belongings, from the underside storage areas. Thankfully, none of those things were burned, melted, or hurt in any way. And, nothing exploded! Only God’s Hand of Protection kept that from happening!!
Once our motorhome caught fire, within 15 - 20 minutes it was completely gone! Not only our motorhome, but also our minivan was totaled, as the front end and partially into the front seats were burned so badly, they melted. We only got a handful of our belongings out of the motorhome: purse, glasses, dog, leash, and ourselves. Since we had sold our home in Nebraska, and were living in our motorhome full time, the fire was all the more devastating, as we lost our: home, car, and about 90% of ALL of our worldly belongings. We lost all of our clothes, shoes, jewelry, bathroom supplies, kitchen items: dishes, cookware, dishes (that were wedding presents), toaster, instant pot, food - we’d just restocked at Costco!, TV, new couch, fireplace/bookshelf, the custom dining table Chris built, afghans from Chris’ deceased grandmothers, our books, our notes and papers, our “personal & important papers,” our computer, etc., etc., etc. There was basically nothing left.
It was a surreal time, from the moment Chris yelled “FIRE,” to none of the 12+ 18 wheelers staying in the rest area offering to help us (all of those big rigs just fled the scene), to being on two cell phones simultaneously, to the 9-1-1 operator not being able to find the Cactus City rest area, and insisting that I give her an address, while my 89 year old father (on the other phone) finding it as soon as he Googled it!! Even with all of that momentary insanity (although it felt never-ending), we are so thankful to Him for keeping us, and others, safe, during the fire. The fact that it was day time, with clear blue skies, and a paved parking area with shade, picnic tables, and rest rooms! The fire was contained to just our motorhome and car, and we weren't on the side of the freeway! That 2 strangers stayed with us the entire time of the fire and gave us a phone charger, water and snacks! A janitor (at the rest stop), who didn't understand English, or my high school Spanish, knew we were hungry and gave us his sandwich! God’s provision was amazing!
Once the fire was done, and the fire fighters had sprayed the foam retardant on our motorhome and car, two tow trucks arrived on the scene. Even though we were assured, by the tow truck employees, that those few plastic totes with our belongings would be guarded, safe, and taken care of, so that we could pick them up the next day, at their tow yard, the totes were not bagged, boxed, or separated from the ash, debris, and detritus that the men loaded into their trailer, right next to, and on top of our, up-to-that-point undamaged property. So, of the few things Chris salvaged, only about 1/3 of that was actually able to be taken with us.
The fire happened late Friday morning. One of the tow truck drivers drove us back 15 minutes to the town of Indio, CA, where we got a motel for the night, and continued the process of trying to contact the two insurance companies. The next day, Saturday, after hours and hours of trying to find a rental car, or U-Haul, or something, we were finally able to get a rental car, and then drove about 80 miles east, to where the tow company had their trailer, with our belongings. Once there, we found out that what had been good, undamaged items, including some tools (air compressor, paint sprayer, chop saw, etc), was now under hundreds of pounds of ash and fire debris! Thankfully, we had purchased some heavy duty garbage bags and duct tape, so the few things that we could save, we emptied from their plastic crates and put into the garbage bags and sealed. It wasn't too stinky on the drive to NM. Saturday night we stayed in Blythe, CA, the town where the tow yard was. The next day we began traveling towards Henry’s house. On Sunday night we stayed in Sierra Vista, AZ with friends, and arrived in Alamogordo, NM on Monday afternoon.
We each only had the clothes on our backs and the shoes on our feet. In Indio, we bought a few things to get by, until we are able to understand what will happen with insurance. There are many, many more questions than answers right now. This weekend, we're endeavoring to compile our "contents lists." That's an arduous task, but must be done. At this point, we're just taking things day by day - sometimes minute by minute. You never know when a new wave of emotion will hit, nor what that will look like. We are thankful to all be safe and alive and together. For the immediate, and somewhat foreseeable future, we'll stay with Henry. We have a few clothes, some toiletries, and food. We're "okay," and know that each day will be one day further from the trauma. It's giving us time to make some decisions about what we really want to "do" now, and to make some changes that have been coming.
Finally, on Wednesday, we had some real communication with both of our insurance companies. Of course with the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend upon us, we now are waiting until this next week to get more information and direction. We've got big questions to answer, like: where are we going to live, what items do we replace and when, are we going to try to retrieve any of our possessions, (especially any of our tools, as basically ALL of them were in the car!), what to do about a vehicle, as ours was totaled, will we get another motorhome or RV, and on and on and on - the list of questions is longer than Chris’ arm!! We are so thankful that we had insurance, but we're not naive enough to think any of this mess will be easy!
This catastrophe has given us the perspective of realizing God's love, mercy, blessings, and goodness in whole new ways! We are so blessed and thankful that we have a safe place to live, and be, and recover. No idea what God has next for us, and all we can do is wait on HIm and His perfect plan and timing. We are both endeavoring not to wallow in misery and despair, and also not to over plan. Just “being” right now.
We ask for your prayers, as we navigate these new waters. It's pretty overwhelming most of the time, so your prayers for patience, courage, understanding, and discernment would be very appreciated. It was an awful day, but we know that through it God has a plan.
Love from,
Chris, Michelle & Sundance too
