Coming home to find not even a pair of shoes to change into, a brush for your hair, the rug by the front door, the glass by the sink: Linda Day, of rural Everton, Missouri was 700 miles from home on June 16 when her home was destroyed by an apparent electrical fire.
Having became recently certified as a Lab Tech for Drug testing with the Missouri Department of Transportation, she was advancing her training skills in Atlanta Georgia.
Neighbors, Travis and Sherri Guthrie, heard the fire alarm next door, and immediately ran to pound upon the door to see if anyone was in the home. They had seen Zach Day leave earlier, but still wanted to be sure. They were able to free Rex, a family pet luckily.
They immediately dialed 911 to report the fire, and at the same time Barbara Reyelts was about a mile away and saw the smoke and responded immediately; as did another neighbor across the highway, Jim Nichols who had just started a Birthday BBQ in his back yard.
Jim immediately noticed there were large sparks flying from an electrical line to the home. He snapped a quick photo and ran to the rear of the home in an attempt to grab and save what he could, but flames had by this time burst out, making the heat unbearable.
Barbara noted that as the flames shattered glass and engulfed the home, siding was already melting on the adjacent residence. She asked all family members and neighbors to move out of the area as she heard the first sirens of Halltown Volunteer Fire Department responding.
Firefighter Joey Lascelle arrived and notified the electrical company and requested mutual aid from Miller Volunteer Fire Department.
A short time later Bois D'Arc fire arrived with back up water support, and upon their departure Mt. Vernon Fire Dept. sent a back up crew to assist. Due to the weathers increased humidity level, firefighters were drenched in sweat and affected by the heat as they battled on.
Zach was notified at Ash Grove, where he had been in football practice for the prior hour, and several neighbors finally reached Linda in Georgia to deliver the devastating news; a task no one wanted to undertake. They knew however they had to support this family, a neighbor who is known to help others out within her small community when she can.
All of the fire departments helped to battle the continuing blaze and provide safety to the house next door from further damage; rescue and medical crews arrived and staged in the area to be ready if needed.
Linda and Zach lost everything they had in the blaze including Zachs letter jacket and numerous school awards.
Linda was placed on an emergency flight home and arrived Wednesday shortly after noon.
Barbara contacted Fire Chief Mike Albright and was able to get Red Cross in to help with the immediate needs of the family. While searching through the debris, Linda discovered a treasure that brought tears to her eyes.
Her mother, having passed several years prior, had been a very skilled seamstress. One so knowledgeable that her gravestone bears the engraving of a Singer Sewing Machine. Linda had visited and cleaned the site recently and found in the dirt there another button for her collection she keeps in memory of her Mother.
Searching among the ashes of such horrendous destruction lay her button box, partially discolored but completely intact. She picked it up thinking this cannot be possible. She opened it; all of her buttons were there, a few still pure white, safe and sound. Only such could be a sign she feels from her Mother, that she and her son were spared from this fire.
An old pedal car she was given at age 2 is also recognizable, with moderate damage; she plans to keep these items that somehow managed to remain; she feels these are treasures no one can ever understand, truly God’s Blessing.
Linda and Zach wish to thank the following: Halltown, Miller, Bois D'Arc, and Mt Vernon Fire Departments and Volunteers, St. Johns Ambulance from Mt. Vernon Mo, Jim Nichols, Sherri & Travis Guthrie, Barbara Reyelts, Christina Lascelle, Mike & Loretta Heinrich, Ray Holt Jr., Britains Store, Mike Britain, Pat Britain, Ruth Davis, Jim and Barbara Davison, Eugene Krops and sons, Cody Cartwright, family members, and all local Lawrenceburg, Everton, and Ash Grove friends who helped during the fire, and to the many who continue to help her through this painful time. Names may be missed, but your help is and has truly been appreciated.
Linda is unsure of her immediate plans, but they do include remaining in the area, as her son is a Senior as Ash Grove High School. She is with All Lab Tests Now, a company out of Carthage MO, is a former ER Tech, and will continue her MO DOT work.
If you wish to help or donate to this family in any way, you may contact Barbara Reyelts 417-880-0889 who will be able to provide you with the needed information to do so.
I have to say this was very hard, arriving to see a friends home burning to the ground. But even harder in talking with her on the phone hours away, knowing she had yet to see what the rest of us were watching; a total loss of all she had. I focused on being there for her son, helping the volunteers, and doing all I could do. What a blessing a button box brought the following day, a treasure found, truly meant to be."
