Fire Medford, Phoenix, Talent, Oregon. I lost everything

Self ^ | 9/11/20 | Auntb

[AuntB]

I got a call from my son in Calif about 1 pm Tuesday. He was listening to police scanner.. said a fire was coming my way... didn't make sense, this area has never had a fire. It's the city!

I went outside in our beautiful peaceful Sr. retirement village to a bank of thick smoke and saw a raging fire. It seemed 10 miles away. The wind was whipping in every direction and took me off my feet several times.

I've been through this before living in the woods of No. Calif. I was prepared then. This home was in the city... I prepared for that. Not for this.

I immediately ran to the neighbors homes to warn them. They mocked me. No one would budge. I tried to water my house and house next door who were gone camping. NO one ever warned anyone. There was NOTHING on local radio and TV. NOTHING.

Was I being silly? I am disabled and in pain, not to mention being 70 years old and weighing 95 lbs. So I decided to grab Bugs the cat and what I needed for 2 or 3 days of evacuation. The cat can't go to a shelter. I was met with a 4 lane wall of evacuees when I tried to get on the main street. It took me 5 hours to drive 25 miles. Finally spent the night in the car in a parking lot in Rogue River, Oregon, then drove to a friends where I can stay a few days near Eugene, Or.

On my way, the manager of our park called to say my home was gone. Nothing left. Only 5 of 55 homes were standing. No firefighters were available, but the manager finally got there and got the people to leave. I had called him first and he was stuck in evacuee traffic. He had no warning either. 100 old people plus several more parks were left to burn with NO warning, but he finally got them all out. We have no rentals in this area, no motel room left, one full shelter, and NO one is providing any assistance to anyone.

I got out with the clothes on my back and Bugs the cat.

It looks like Dresden. But the insult of losing everything isn't enough. I remembered Facebook and the pictures of my ancestors and long gone family was still there!! I tried all night.. no facebook without passwords....I didn't even take my computer. I lost it all.

The post office charges you and demands a credit card to forward mail. My bank even burned down.

I pray my neighbors all survived. But I have no idea where we all will go. You can't even rent without 'papers'.

[GOPJ]

I’m down to 94 lbs. I finally made it to a goodwill..they wouldn’t even give me a discount! This is impossible. NO Help for us! THey gave the Hawthorne park to BLACK LIVES Matters (all from out of town!) protesting and camping there...refugees from the fire can’t even stay in our park!! They are bringing food and services to BLM!!!!!! It;s insane.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through... Keep us posted on how you're doing. Stay safe AnutB...

[tubebender]

Have you been contacted by your insurance adjuster yet?

[tubebender]

Did you receive my letter I sent to your postoffice box Friday?

[AuntB]

Been 3 hours away digging through burned out remains. No internet, no toilet.

[tubebender]

and no tree to pee behind?

[AuntB]

I can’t express my gratitude and admiration to all of you enough. Thank you for being so kind and considerate of our circumstances. And be aware, when we old people have a ‘managed care’ medicare plan...they will NOT cover you out of your home area... I have no medicare or health Ins. for anything until Jan. 1 when I can change plans and I am so ill. I have to pay cash for every visit or prescription. So many things unexpected. The story that they MUST replace your prescriptions lost in the fires... just more talk... they aren’t doing it.
We spent some of this week driving to the Phoenix/medford area to go through the burned out rubble and try to get some replacement meds. No luck there. Some of my mothers cast iron cookware survive and a couple precious figurines. Now for the first time since the fire, I’m going to rest today. I sure failed as the keeper of my family genealogy. That all being lost is the worst.
Thank you so much Freepers, for always being there.

[Aquamarine]

It's good to hear that you're managing to cope with such a terrible situation.

So sorry for the loss of your belongings. Freepmail me if there is anything I can do to help.

[AuntB]

Thank you. As per your requests, I set up a Go Fund me.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/senior-lost-everything-in-oregon-wildfire?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

[Aquamarine]

AuntB has set up a GoFundMe account if someone wants to give.

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[mass55th]

Thank you!!

[McGavin999]

Done!

[lysie]

Thank you

[M Kehoe]

Bttt.

5.56mm

[M Kehoe]

Bttt.

5.56mm

[SE Mom]

Thank you for the information- I’ve been following along. So much heartache for so many. Every dollar will help!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks! I sent her a check, but will pass this on!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Thank you for the gofundme account!

PRAYERS for you, AuntB

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

BTTT

[Hildy]

Thank you. I donated and I hope everybody donates what they can. Please keep us posted and good luck to you.