Crystal Park Fire Victims Say Thank You

A family says thank you to the community after a fire destroyed their home.

The fire started on Tuesday, December 13th at a home on Upper Sun Valley Lane in Crystal Park in Manitou Springs.

No one was inside when the fire started and no injuries were reported.

The home is a total loss. Firefighters were able to save a detached garage that had a Harley Davidson motorcycle inside.

The family wrote a letter to thank all those who cared and are helping them. The following letter is from the Strickland family:

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To All Who Cared; Just a few nights ago, we had a major setback in our lives, something most of us never think about, and in those first few hours we wondered; ” How?”, “Why?”, ” What do we do now?”

In the hours that followed our, “adapt and overcome” settled in. We still cried, we still thought, “but…my clothes, my toys”….and yet our mantra became, “We have each other.” While we were circling our wagons, the communities in which we recently arrived, were rallying their troops. Offers of homes to stay, offers of pet care, donations of clothes, dishes, and everything in between came pouring in. And not just from in Colorado, we have been touched by Arizona, Iowa, Maryland, and Alabama. We have always been on the giving end for those in need, opened our home, thinned out our clothes, toys and things; NEVER could we have prepared for such an event for us. So, as things sunk in and people gathered and gave we were taken aback by the generosity of our neighbors, people we hadn’t even gotten to know yet. Having just arrived here from Germany 30 Oct. we had only one family friend, so we hadn’t expanded our network just yet, and even though we are new, people gave, they didn’t know us from Adam, and yet the gave…. It has been an overwhelming experience. The generosity of strangers yet neighbors and now friends has been a light for us that no words can ever express.

Without the quick response of the firefighters in Crystal Park, all volunteers I must add, things could have been much worse. And as that sunk in, we were even more grateful to all the firefighters who came. And so grateful that things were not so bad for them to lose anyone. Some of those who came offered their homes, and in the days and nights that they spent watching the remainder of the fire away from their families, we were grateful they were there, still keeping us safe. They go unsung most of the time, and we cannot express our gratitude enough for what they do and did for us.

The “troops” who responded to the call, “family in need”, have truly been amazing. Offers of furniture, again homes to stay in, clothes, toys, winter items, the list could go on and on, but it is not the items that have been overwhelming; it is the act of giving that has shown us we are blessed. The communities have created a web for us and caught us and have enabled us to start over. The areas where we were just settling into and getting to know picked us up, brushed us off and because of that our feet are on the ground. We may be a little unsteady yet, but there are so many hands helping us find our way we cannot THANK them enough.

Crystal Park residents, Timberview Middle School, Prairie Hills Elementary, The Space and Missile Command, The Air Force Academy, Peterson AFB, The Manitou Chamber of Commerce, Crystal Park Volunteer Fire Department, Teller Fire Department, Manitou Springs, and these are just the ones I can name, there have been so many anonymous helping hands that I can only hope they will read this and know how truly grateful we are.

While the cause may never be known, and the things we lost never really replaced, the fact that we are here alone is enough to be grateful for. But when you look at all who came to our aid all we can say is: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! And even that just doesn’t feel like enough. Words cannot truly express how truly grateful, touched and blessed we are. To all those who came, to all those who gave, to all those who cared; THANK YOU.

Forever touched and always your friends and neighbors, The Strickland Family