98-year-old disabled veteran evacuates from ‘Aspen Acres’ fire

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Medals, awards, and photographs from Colonel Loren Pearson’s decorated career in the United States Air Force had to be left behind when he and his wife, Anne, evacuated their Hatchet Ranch home on Wednesday, July 1, due to the "Aspen Acres" fire.

“We still have hope that it’s going to survive, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to,” Col. Pearson said.

Through the uncertainty, Col. Pearson told KRDO13 he still feels lucky to be here.

Col. Pearson served in four wars in the U.S. Air Force. He started his military career in the Korean War and finished with five years in the Vietnam War. He said he flew over 6000 missions and was shot down just once.

→ Full coverage and official resource links for the Aspen Acres fire here

Col. Pearson said he could prepare for the losses he faced in the Air Force, but the fires were something he couldn’t have expected.

Col. Pearson was born in Colorado. He and Anne knew they wanted to settle down here eventually after moving between military bases.

“This is our forever home. We built it that way. We wanted to retire here," Anne said.

Anne said that the first night in their home in 2010, they had no furniture. Only sleeping bags on the bedroom floor, but it was exactly what they wanted.

“This is home. We don’t ever want to leave it. Even if we have to rebuild,” Col. Pearson said.

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