He was on a fire in Yarnell, a small town about 30 miles to the south, but there hadn't been a cause for concern. Billie Grace is 3, hardly ever still and the only girl in her Tiny Ninja class. The father of four always seized every opportunity to call or text Juliann while out on a job even if it meant hiking to the top of a mountain to get a signal. who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.. Whats Ashcraft did not think it would be this much of an issue. In 2015, she was caught off guard when she got a whiff of the Finger Rock Fire in Tucson from a distance and had a panic attack. form; as is, the nostalgic virtues of its classical storytelling, with When Andrew was home, he was the center of the family. Juliann Ashcraft said she is desperate for help. Her stepson, Travis, was a member of the Granite Mountain team. Juliann Ashcraft's husband, Andrew, was one of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots firefighters who lost their lives when a fire they were battling suddenly changed direction and engulfed them. 'As shocked as I was that my husband went to work and never came home, I'm equally shocked in how the city has treated our family since then,' Mrs Ashcraft, whose youngest child is just 18 months old, told CBS News. It was about 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2013 when Juliann Ashcraft started getting alarming phone messages from friends. but, having grown up without his own father, Brendan is determined to the firefighters. As a result of the dispute, there were two separate memorial. At the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, Roxanne got out of the truck and introduced herself to the firefighters. "They all laid out there that night.". The City of Prescott is not named in this lawsuit, though it is named in a separate suit filed Wednesdayby Ms. Ashcraft, Ms. Warneke and Amanda Misner, another widow. 'We're devastated. We grieve for the city,' he said at a news conference on June 30. And she wasglad she brought Billie Grace. Roxanne would take her daughter to Billys grave with flowers and his dog. of ordinary family life that contrasts with Erics own. Andrew Ashcraft, 29, seen here with his wife, Juliann Ashcraft, was one of 19 elite "hotshot" firefighters killed in an Arizona wildfire this week. "Hey, chief," Marsh said. Then he rode away with a firefighter from another Hotshot team. Whats the point of living a life if you arent happy?. Some mornings she will come into the kitchen and stretch dramatically. They died together. But she's been denied the lifetime benefits she was counting on to raise her four children, the youngest of whom is 18 months old. Helicopter crash near Ukraine kindergarten kills children and top officials, U.S. lawyer who died in Mexico was "victim of a brutal crime," family says, Excessive speed listed as cause of crash that killed Georgia football player, Qantas plane lands safely on single engine after mayday call over Pacific, New Mexico lawmaker says shootings suspect confronted her outside her home, Gov. All 19 Hotshot families will receive worker's compensation and a one-off federal payment of $328,000. These men worked together," she said. Counting calories IS king when it comes to losing weight - NOT fasting, study finds. Not only had it been the deadliest wildfire ever in Arizona, it was one of the worst in the United States. A thunderstorm was brewing, and the winds had shifted nearly 180 degrees sending flames racing into Yarnell, where Lawton's small, block home sat at the base of a hill. Around 6 a.m., Darrell Willis, chief of the Prescott Fire Department's Wildland Fire Division, was loading his truck with containers of eggs, sausage, potatoes and fruit for the crews when his phone rang. Back in Prescott, Juliann Ashcraft was watching television with her children Ryder, 6; Shiloh, 4; Tate Andrew, 2; and Choice, 1. They are also receiving free tuition at Arizona universities for their children, in addition to private donations, which have surpassed $4 million, according to a recent tally by the 100 Club, a charity that benefits firefighters and public safety workers. She wants her to see her mother supporting the works they do, in honor of Billy. The City of Prescott now claims he was a seasonal worker, despite him . Allen G. Breed is a national writer, based in Raleigh, N.C. understanding of the best way to fight wildfires, his crew must follow Donuts foil is Hes the one who noticed a banner hanging high up on the brick wall inside the fire station and pointed it out to Roxanne. "News?? Juliann Ashcraft's husband Andrew was a three-year veteran of the Granite Mountain Hotshots - and one of the 19 firefighters killed Sunday in the Arizona wildfire. Mac (Taylor Kitsch), a sexually crude and emotionally stunted colleague "But I hate it now.". But the city of Prescott, where the Hotshots were based, is now claiming he was a seasonal worker, despite him working a 40 hour week year round, and denying Mrs Ashcraft full benefits. In the months that followed, tributes on storefronts, on bumper stickers and along the mesh-iron fence surrounding Station 7, the firefighters home base stood as glaring reminders of a tragedy no one here has forgotten. None of them answered all of her questions. As they left the fire station, Roxanne washappy they made the trip. received by the families of permanent or full-time employees. required to face danger practically and get the job done. Now the fire had shut down that route. That's why he did what he did, because he want to protect the community where he lived. This day, so far, had been different. already cost, according to several people involved in these discussions, Only six of the 19 firefighters are entitled to full-time benefits, the city claims. I dreamed of Daddy Billy.. Because shewants her daughter to respect fire, to be mindful of it, but not to be afraid. Marsh and Willis had worked together for years, and were close friends as well as colleagues. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Andrew Ashcraft, 29, died beside 18 of his 'Hotshot' comrades on June 30, He left behind his young wife, Juliann, and their four children, the youngest of whom is 18 months, Five weeks after the tragedy, Mrs Ashcraft has been denied the full lifetime benefits she was relying on to raise the couple's children, City of Prescott claims the Hotshot was one of 13 firefighters who were 'seasonal' workers, They say she is therefore only entitled to worker's compensation and a one off payment of $328,000, But Mr Ashcraft actually worked 40 hours a week all year round. wildfire-fighting outfit in Prescott, Arizona, thats relegated to Type Some of the more vocal widows became the target of stinging criticism; in online forums and letters to the editors, people called them greedy, disgusting or worse. after Prince Harry Is this the real reason Amazon 'axed' Jeremy Clarkson? Each man's family prayed that their son-husband-brother had been the lucky one. Roxanne picked up Billie Grace and showed it to her. A team of investigators assembled by the forestry division, as well as the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health, has released reports on the deaths, though neither explains why the men abandoned the safety of the black, as burned areas in the wilderness are known, for the dangers of green land. Harry wants to raise Billie Grace the way her father would have. A cursory search for one of them, Joe Thurston, turned up a Prescott News article from June 7, 2016, headlined Prescott Approves Survivor Benefits for Widow of Wildland Juliann Ashcraft decided to leave Prescott altogether to spare her four children the discomfort of whispers and glares. From his lookout post, McDonough saw the shift in winds and the fire suddenly coming toward him. It was about 7 p.m. when a television announcer came on with the report: A Hotshot crew had been overrun near Yarnell. In fact, he was one of 19 wildland firefighters who died in the line of duty that day, with just one member of the crew surviving. Not long after she saw the news report, Juliann Ashcraft opened her door to find a police officer outside. Thats for your daddy, she told her. "I said to them, 'My husband was a full-time employee, he went to work full-time for you,'" she said, "and their response to me was, 'Perhaps there was a communication issue in your marriage.'". They are happy. But in rugged, hilly terrain like that where the Hotshots were working, any thunder activity or downdrafts can cause winds to shift and flames to shoot in all directions, fire experts say. political, as Fernanda Santos reported in 2014, in the Times. She never took her eyes off his casket until it was lowered into the ground. She and Billy used to go to nearby Patagonia often, to hike and fish, taking State Highway 83. "No, honey," she said gently. By nightfall, the fire was just 15 acres in size, though the town fire department warned residents: "Be on high alert if the wind changes direction.". Juliann Ashcraft, the widow of fallen firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, one of 19 men who sacrificed his life battling a wildfire Sunday outside of Yarnell, Ariz., discussed the final text messages and photos she shared with her husband hours before he died. But being the wife of a firefighter is like becoming part of a family. Of course, there was no reply," she said. stirring dramatization, directed by Joseph Kosinski, based on a largeas anything in the movie. firefighters courage and self-sacrifice. The tail credits state the names of the other Cold, hard facts about how freezing winter weather can harm your health. One widow, Juliann Ashcraft, decided to leave Prescott altogether to spare her four children the discomfort of whispers and glares. complete the jobs that they have started. He can be reached at features@ap.org. She said she learned of her husband's death while watching the news with their four children. The elite team, Ashcraft said, were like a family. truths offscreen in the interest of a so-called mainstream. Eric, for his part, is in a For more, click here or follow on Facebook. but something troubled in their past shadows their daily lives. Teller), a slacker and a stoner, has gotten a young woman (Natalie Hall) (It and turned up an entire realm of activity thats integral to their lives Within six years of its beginning as a fuels mitigation unit in 2002, the Granite Mountain group had joined the elite Hotshot community the first such crew attached to a municipal department. pregnant. Juliann Ashcraft's husband, Andrew, was one of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots firefighters who lost their lives when a fire they were battling suddenly changed direction and engulfed them. In short, Only the Brave comes off as Brendan is first seen as a young delivered with familiar histrionics.) With that, their exchanges stopped. Not this time. peoplewhite peoplego out of their way to help each other. "I will fire fight the fires.". I wrote here last week about the exclusions, the prejudices, the blinkered points of view that PRESCOTT, Ariz. Smoke drifted from the fire that tore through the chaparral brush on nearby mountains after the flames had claimed the lives of 19 firefighters almost a year ago, immersing this tight community in heartache. The unfamiliar truck pulled up to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, where crews were stopping to pick up supplies on their way to the Sawmill Fire. Extraordinary moment shirtless Michael Clarke and Karl Stefanovic face off in a wild late-night scuffle - as MailOnline readers back Jeremy Clarkson to keep his job on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Through my experience, I have learned life is a gift. He radioed down to his crewmates, telling them his trigger point had been reached, and that he was heading for safe ground. Hotshots. She doesn't want the smell of smoke to ever make her feel the way her mother did for so long. Meanwhile, a young man named Brendan McDonough (Miles 'But he let us know that he loved us and missed us. "I love what I do, and we're going to be OK.". The art of storytelling is treacherous, and the new film Only the Victim of Serial Rapist Identifies Her Attacker to His Future Neighbors Ahead of His Prison Release. "They loved what they did. Another, Roxanne Warneke, who lives just outside Tucson, has chosen to stay away, secluding her grief to the unfinished mobile home she shares with the baby girl her husband, Billy, never had a chance to meet. Jake's 4-year-old brother, Zak, stopped at a circle of tiny toy firetrucks and pointed to one that looked like one of his own back home. yet is excluded from the movie, and that is at least as interesting The fire was sparked by a lightning strike on Friday and spread to at least 8,400 acres amid triple-digit temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions. All rights reserved. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. After the viewing, prompted by curiosity, I looked (very So on a Wednesday,she and Harry went to Costcoto buy fresh fruit. become close friends, and Mac matures, largely through Donuts Security fears after YouTuber managed to tape phone to 'Petrified' student, 20, inspects her room every night after she was rushed to hospital when a spider bite Six people die, including three children, when their throats are sliced by KITE STRINGS at Indian festival. You should have seen the appreciation in their eyes and also the empathy, she said. Chilling moment Plymouth gunman Jake Davison strolled along the road wielding shotgun as he murdered five People who drink alcohol more than once a WEEK are at higher risk of internet, gaming and exercise 'The tears, the time together lost': Kirstie Allsopp admits 'one of her greatest regrets' is forcing her Well, that fell a bit flat (white)! Carter Evans speaks with Ashcraft's widow, who was receiving text messages from him right to the end. As depicted in the movie, nineteen of the twenty members of "It's a whole different animal with them," said Christian, whose crew had been dispatched last Sunday to help fight the fire. It turns out that, just a few weeks after the tragedy, one widow, Juliann Ashcraft, 28, said she will receive workers' compensations and a one-time federal payment of $328,000 in the death of her 29-year-old husband Andrew, who was among the Granite Mountain . Jan. The 29-year-old former "rookie of the year" on the elite "Hotshot" team, was a father of four, all of whom are younger than 6 years old. Owen, born in March, is a content baby. "Now I have four kids and myself, and I don't know what I'm going to do.". the rugged, volatile, insightful, deeply capable superintendent of a The local firefighters union said of the 13 hotshots denied full benefits, Andrew Ashcraft was the only one to work 40 hours a week year round. . Yet there she stood, her loss all too real. IE 11 is not supported. His new family refused to leave her behind. In high school, he'd spend hours after classes studying fire science. Faced with those facts, what mother, father, spouse or child wouldnt want further inquiry?, Dozens of homeowners and business owners in the old gold-mining village of Yarnell, which was partly charred by the blaze, also sued the states forestry agency this week. She added that she had been sending him pictures of their children swimming that day, and how his daughter had commented that she wished he was there to see the thunder storm with them. stirring, effective, patriotic propaganda for a picture of America that Just days after the men's deaths, Mrs Ashcraft revealed the last conversation she had with her husband - and her fears when he never responded to her text messages. Her husband Andrew was 29 years old. Andrew Ashcraft texted this photo to his wife, Juliann, just before he perished in a blaze Sunday. California faces dangerous mudslides after monster storms. Prescott stood united; millions of dollars in donations poured in for the surviving families to help pay for things like groceries, mortgages and counseling. suspect, was the furthest thing from the filmmakers intentions. no more room for discussions between Eric and Amanda about the Roxanne tried to prepare herself for the smell. Firefighters battling a blaze in Yarnell, Ariz., last year. Because of the dangers of the job, he would always tell us that he loved us.'. Nothing of the sort is even hinted at in Only the Brave. The movie has Our kids will remember them as heroes as well.. A week later, the fire these men died fighting burns on, although it is almost fully contained. Photograph by Columbia Pictures via Everett, deemed some of its firefighters to be temporary or seasonal,, Everything Is Cinema: The Working Life of Jean-Luc Godard. A widow whose husband was killed courageously fighting a wildfire in Yarnell, Arizona five weeks ago is being denied the lifetime benefits she was counting on to raise the couple's four young children alone. Around 10 a.m. Saturday, the Arizona State Forestry Division called in a pair of air tankers, a helicopter, some fire engines and a couple of hand crews. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. Roxanne still tells Billie Grace stories about her father, and Billie Grace tells them to Harry. In 1990, she married Travis' father and adopted the precocious little boy who, even then, knew what he wanted to be one day. displays of the arts peculiarities and pitfalls. It was someone from Blue Ridge who had picked up the crew's lookout, the only survivor. When Roxanne introduced herself to the firefighters at the station, she told them that her husband had been one of the 19 hotshots killed in the Yarnell fire. the company died, on June 30, 2013, while fighting a wildfire, and Donut or redistributed. "They never think it will happen to them.. nonfiction account in GQ by Sean Flynn (and co-produced by Cond Nast dollars in damages.) Around the corner, Jennifer Parks of Phoenix was trying to explain to her 6-year-old son, Jake, that this was not where the fallen firefighters were buried. . Death toll: The Yarnell wildfire is the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years. 'I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is.'. "Quite literally, my bills are being paid by the good people of the world who are giving donations, because the city of Prescott isn't doing anything for us," she said. and exemplary a vision of contemporary American life as the tale of the He had his priorities in line, but when he was there, he would tell me, They say jump and Id say, how high. Their main goal was to save lives. about party identification or political campaignsat least as crucial These disputes soon grew more bitter, more complicated, and more Brave is spare, clear, direct storytellingand the tightly bounded But the smoke was so thick crews could only guess at where to drop their loads. All Willis could think was, "Not those guys." ", "I make my best decisions on my knees, and that's where I made this one," Ward said. Yet here she was. Thanks to the photo, Juliann could at least picture where Andrew was. The comments below have not been moderated. David Wallace / The Arizona Republic via AP file, the local Prescott ENews website reported, less than 100 miles from where their 19 Granite Mountain colleagues died. Yes, Roxanne told her. Their only precise request is for an audience with state forestry officials to determine conclusively the mistakes that were made and to see that the department develops procedures and policies to keep them from happening again. Last year, Deborah, who lives in Prescott, delivered fresh fruit and beef jerky to crews working on the Tenderfoot Fire in Yarnell. telling residents and municipal workers that taxes might need to go up Hot shot crews are elite firefighters who often hike for miles into the wilderness with chain saws and backpacks filled with heavy gear to build lines of protection between people and fires. The lone no vote came from Prescott Mayor Marlin Kuykendall, who said he shared everyone's sympathy for the surviving families but felt he needed more time to wade through the relevant laws and statutes governing firefighters' retirement benefits. She tells peopleRoxanne was a lot like that as a child. And then another, and another. On the Fourth of July, firefighter Nik Christian stopped by to pay his respects. pitch in, and, in order to get his life together, applies for a job with 'Quite literally, my bills are being paid by the good people of the world who are giving donations, because the city of Prescott isn't doing anything for us,' she told the TV station. They talked about a freak storm, and said the men appeared to have done everything by the book. ", In the end, Ward said he voted to grant the enhanced benefits because "the facts in this case, in my opinion, appear to be that Andrew deserves what they are asking for. Ill say, Billie Grace, you need to listen to me, and she will say, No, Mom, you need to listen to me. It is hard for Roxanne not to laugh. The movie offers a vision of sentimental unity for the common good in a town where The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Still, at first, officials determined this blaze to be small, posing no immediate threat to Yarnell's 700 residents. It was Eric Marsh, superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, who were based out of Willis' department. Firefighter Joe Thurston. The criteria were the same as those applied Along the way, moods changed and perceptions shifted as the families laid bare their demands for answers about the deaths of a crew skilled on fighting fires in the wild and for fairness over the benefits for the wives and children left behind. News. Bungling helicopter pilot blows over stadium roof injuring eight, Rapidly growing cemetery filled with Vladimir Putin's 'prisoner army', Royal Family will find it 'impossible' to compromise with Sussexes, BBC Breakfast celebrates forty years of hilarious bloopers, Ken Bruce will be joining the Greatest Hits Radio family in April, As it happened: UK Government blocks Scotland's new gender law, Russian pro-war fanatic warns Britain could be 'wiped off the map', Locals desperately smash windows of overturned double-decker bus. Click here to share your story. Juliann Ashcraft, an LDS wife and mother, appeared on the "Today" show Tuesday morning to discuss her husband, who's been hailed as a hero, two days after learning of his death. First published on August 5, 2013 / 7:54 PM. from the community, conceal and reflect other sorts of nostalgiaa They reach out to firefighters and families who need support. A contagious smile, a heart of gold. Carter Evans speaks with . United States; nothing at all suggests that Prescott may have been For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The blaze had ignited two days earlier with a lightning strike along the Date Creek Mountains above Yarnell. Juliann Ashcraft decided to leave Prescott altogether to spare her four children the discomfort of whispers and glares. She would whisper stories to Billie Grace about her daddy long before she could possibly understand. Vote here and tell us why, Do not sell or share my personal information. Overnight the blaze grew to 200 acres, and by Sunday morning officials were transitioning to a larger command team to oversee firefighting efforts and calling in more personnel. When it came time to vote on the benefits extension, his was the only dissenting vote. fool, getting into fights, getting arrested, getting kicked out of his In 2015, Roxanne had joined Juliann Ashcraft, whose husband, Andrew, also was killed in the Yarnell Hill Fire, and Andrew's mother, Deborah Pfingston, to form the Wildland Firefighter. Southwest incident team leader Clay Templin said the team and its commanders were following safety protocols, but it appears the fire's erratic nature simply overwhelmed them. timely reminder that stories are decisions, that theres no such thing Only the Brave ties the characters private lives to their work lives Autopsies of the 19 firefighters have been conducted, and an investigation into what happened here begun. were killed fighting a wildfire near Yarnell, Ariz. That doesnt change, no matter what happens. Some of the more vocal widows became the target of stinging criticism; in online forums and letters to the editors, people called them greedy, disgusting or worse. Hotshot) units and merely Harry loaded 20 cases of oranges and 16 bags of apples, about 350 pounds in all, onto a cart and then into their truck. Billie Grace was 10 months old when they moved in, just the two of them, with the sorrow of their loss. The movie also gives both men a foil. In fact, he was one of 19 wildland firefighters who died in the line of duty that day, with just one member of the crew surviving. 'That's what it takes. Juliann found some comfort in that, and also in learning that her husband and his friends were never left alone. The 19 remaining Hotshots were deploying their emergency fire shelters lightweight cocoons made of reflective material intended as a firefighter's last resort. When Travis was in kindergarten, he drew a picture of a fire truck and titled it, "When I grow up. Nineteen American flags were brought to the scene, one to be draped over each man's body. Dozens of framed pictures of a mustached man with his family and comrades cover the room . Then Willis ended the conversation the way he does anytime he's speaking to a firefighter. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Hotshots, heroic fighters of wildfires in Arizona. All rights reserved. ', Engulfed: 19 firefighters died as the wildfire spread near the Arizona town of Yarnell, Beneitone said athletic prowess was a must for the Hotshots. The script, by Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer, puts exceptional Worried sick. One of the family's good friends is a fire chief back in Phoenix. 'And we'll miss them. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Mr Ashcraft, like his colleagues, was protecting the people of Yarnell when he died, tragically leaving his young family without a husband, father or income. City officials declined multiple requests for an interview, but Monday they sent a statement. Then in the next breath he added, "I want to be Batman.". 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