Atascadero Family Loses Home in Fire
Esther DeVries came home this past weekend to a lot of damage from a fire.
According to a news release from Atascadero Fire, it happened around 11 p.m. on Dec.14. When fire crews arrived to the home they found smoke coming from the living room area of the home. Fire crews quickly contained the fire to the living room, but extensive smoke and heat damage occurred to the entire interior of the residence.
Atascadero Fire officials said the fire started from the wood burning stove and spread to furniture.
It’s been a roller coaster of ride for DeVries, a mother of 10, who says she has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season. The fire destroyed all of her furniture including her children’s beds.
“There is no reason for that other than God showing us ‘you know what, you got this’ a perfect heart.” DeVries said, showing us a photo of what appears to be a silhouette of a heart left on the wall after the fire damage.
“That was the ceiling fan, it was dripping, it melted because of the heat in the home,” DeVries said showing photos of the damage.
DeVries gained national attention with her weight loss journey about one year ago.
Eight of her children live with her. The night of the fire, they all slept in sleeping bags on the floor of a home nearby. DeVries took a photo and said, “This is when they were all asleep. They don’t know I took this picture, but I was sitting there and I wasn’t able to sleep and I was realizing everything that mattered is right here.”
Her optimism is contagious.
“Her optimism is one of the things everybody appreciates about her. She’s always able to put a smile on somebody’s face,” her daughter Hailee, 19, said.
“We said what are we going to do? The past few days have been incredible. My mom has always been strong and always been there for all of us,” Hailee said.
“I’m trying to figure out what’s going to happen with my family and my siblings, I’m in the process of getting my life started and moving down to San Diego, but I don’t want to leave everything in chaos. I want my family set up before I leave,” Hailee said.
“It’s very hard to put into words. I feel like thank you is very insignificant at this point,” DeVries said.
“We’re really feeling the love. We’re very thankful and very blessed.”
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/s217/the-devries-family-fire-recovery-fund
