Sharon's Story
Three years ago, my daughter Pamela called and asked me if she and her family could come and live with me. After having been a corporate executive in a big city, she wanted to get out of the rat race and live in a smaller community to start her own business. I was thrilled to have them.
My place was over 11,000 square feet, and was shaped like a “U“. It sat on a site that is half of a city block in size. There was a large warehouse on one side, and a retail area on the other, with living quarters across the back.
Pam, Rocky and Jazz worked with things we already had on hand to build a beautiful carry-out Mexican food restaurant in the retail space of my home. In October of that year they opened the doors of Hometown Burritos. The whole county loved their delicious homemade food and low prices.
After building a successful restaurant business, they then decided to expand, and purchased the local movie theater. They did a lot of work inside and out, and created another thriving business called Hometown Capital Theater. Again the community response was great, as there isn't really a whole lot to do here in Springfield.
They did a lot of positive things for the community. The youth was their main focus and they were in the process of putting in a game room on the upper floor of the theater.
On 11-21-08 at 2:00 in the morning, I woke up to the sound of loud crackling. I flipped on the light and stepped out into the hall. The hall was totally engulfed in smoke. I grabbed my land line phone on my bedside table so I could call Pam on her cell phone, because she always took it upstairs with her when going to bed at night. My phone was dead. I started screaming for my daughter Pam. I tried to go down the hall into the smoke, but found I couldn’t breathe or see. Just steps away from my bedroom door, was an exit to the warehouse. I turned and went out that door.
The police had already been called, and were just ready to come into the house. They took me to the alley while they went in to see what could be done to reach my daughter and her family. I went around behind them, back through the warehouse and into the courtyard. I was screaming for my daughter the whole time, trying to wake her from outside her window. However, the smoke was so severe, that I think they were gone a long time before I woke up.
I lost my daughter, my son-in-law and my grandson. The firemen couldn’t get to them and they literally burned up. I do believe the smoke killed them though, because Rocky would have gotten them out if he was at all able.
The fire started in the family room from a broken stove pipe on a wood stove. It was broken between the ceiling and the roof, in the attic. The living area was all old wood. It burned so fast and complete that there was nothing left. Everything they had, and everything I had, was burned to ashes. I got out in my nightgown, the only possession I have left.
After the tragedy that occurred, and everything I lost here, I cannot rebuild on this site. My wish instead, is to make a park out of the property, dedicated to my kids, and named Hometown Family Park in honor of them. I don’t particularly want it to be a memorial park, but a celebration of family.
Pam, Jazz, and Rocky did everything together as a family. They worked together and played together as a team. They did a lot of good things for this small farm and ranch community, and for the youth of Baca County, CO.
I have had a lot of help, but still have a long way to go, to make this wish a reality. The park will be mostly xeriscaping, to preserve water use and keep it easy to maintain.
There will also be “Celebration Bricks” for individuals to purchase and have engraved however they choose to remember or celebrate loved ones. These bricks will be used to create a pathway through the park. I have had school, church, and other community groups express an interest in maintaining the park as part of their community service projects. After completion, I would like to donate the park to the town of Springfield in appreciation for everything the community has done for me. All donations would be greatly appreciated. If anyone knows of grant money available for such a purpose, that would be wonderful also. Please let me know your ideas.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
Sharon Jones