August 5, 2013 / 7:54 PM At the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, Roxanne got out of the truck and introduced herself to the firefighters. Money Splits a City Still Mourning Its Firefighters, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/27/us/money-splits-a-city-still-mourning-its-firefighters.html. July 2, 2013 12 AM PT. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Juliann Ashcraft said she is desperate for help. 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. At the time, Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said the 19 firefighters were a part of the city's fire department. disputes that arose after the tragedy and that drove the townseemingly and how narrow narrative designs are methods for keeping uncomfortable already cost, according to several people involved in these discussions, As she kept watch on the Sawmill Fire,Roxanne sent a Facebook message to Deborah. Sean Kauffman, a former Granite Mountain Hotshot, paying his respects. He listened intently as she recounted her dream. All rights reserved. Billie Grace grinned. Widow of fallen Arizona firefighter recalls his last day. 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. Her husband, Andrew, 29, was a former rookie of the year on the team and the father of four children, all younger than the age of 6. IE 11 is not supported. "I will fire fight the fires.". "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 turned up an entire realm of activity thats integral to their lives Outside of the love he shared for his family members, hotshot firefighting was his life, his wife said. Missed: Juliann Ashcraft has received a rubber bracelet reading 'Be Good' that her husband was wearing when he died. Only the Brave about Prescotts point of pride that the Granite 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. Over and over again, the radio crackled with a constant, heartbreaking summons: "Are you there Granite Mountain? She calls Harry Daddy Hop, a nickname from his initials. It still did not look as catastrophic as it turned out to be, but it was interesting to have that perspective, to know what life was like for him on the fire lines and know what he risked day in and day out.. In the end, the house Billy had dreamed of, the one he promised Roxanne, was built by firefighters, friends and neighbors, and complete strangers who donated money, time, labor and supplies. He can be reached at features@ap.org. suspect, was the furthest thing from the filmmakers intentions. its emphasis on individual initiative and private conflicts in isolation As a result of the dispute, there were two separate memorial services held for the fallen firefightersone organized by their union, one run by the city of Prescott. As a municipal company, the Billie Grace is 3, hardly ever still and the only girl in her Tiny Ninja class. stirring dramatization, directed by Joseph Kosinski, based on a pregnant. 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. and raises be delayed for another year because of what the deaths had In the months after the fire, there would be an investigation. 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. 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. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. With that, their exchanges stopped. Juliann Ashcraft insists that her husband was a full-time employee; she has hired a lawyer and is pondering a lawsuit over the issue, KPHO reports. A crew of 600 firefighters and related personnel had been assigned to it. CBS News obtained paperwork that shows Ashcraft did earn a full-time salary. Brave, released last Friday, is among the more noteworthy recent In memory of 19 fire fighters, it said. He sent a photo of where he was sitting and what the fire looked like for them, at their lunch spot, Ashcraft said on TODAY Tuesday. ", "How did you hear that?" Now the fire had shut down that route. It was approaching 5 p.m., and the winds were now coming from the north at 26 mph, with gusts to 43 mph. The crew killed in the blaze had been working on other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona, Fraijo said. But answers aren't expected still for months. Andrew Ashcraft texted this photo to his wife, Juliann, just before he perished in a blaze Sunday. She has anew baby brother, Owen. decisions that go into the composition and the telling of stories have a She told them she had brought fruit. for anyone who has read anything about the real-life Granite Mountain In its attempt at a counteroffensive, city officials fueled only hostility, telling residents and municipal workers that taxes might need to go up and raises be delayed for another year because of what the deaths had already cost, according to several people involved in these discussions, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. While her husband was on a break during the early stages of battling a massive fire on Sunday, Ashcraft said she texted pictures of their kids swimming. IE 11 is not supported. 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. Yet as I The Hotshots, he said, were his heroes. Still, during the summer wildfire season, it was not unusual for the couple to go weeks on end without any communication. influence.). This day, so far, had been different. Harry stayed close to her. When he is hired as a firefighter, the other members of The battles that the 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. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Harry loaded 20 cases of oranges and 16 bags of apples, about 350 pounds in all, onto a cart and then into their truck. Then he rode away with a firefighter from another Hotshot team. The 4-1 vote came at the same time that an army of Hotshots from around the West was returning to the area to battle a fire near Slide Rock State Park less than 100 miles from where their 19 Granite Mountain colleagues died. members of the company, the sixteen whose characters arent developed in "I have one I want to bring," he told his mom. In June 2013, when the fire swept through Yarnell, Roxanne was pregnant with their first child, a daughter, born six months after Billy died. The fire had stretched out over more than 40,000 acres. That Sunday morning, Ashcraft and the other 19 members of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew had been deployed to the ranching community of Yarnell to fight yet another wildfire. ', Engulfed: 19 firefighters died as the wildfire spread near the Arizona town of Yarnell, Beneitone said athletic prowess was a must for the Hotshots. Legal Statement. But being the wife of a firefighter is like becoming part of a family. It was a text from Andrew, her husband of seven years and, still, her best friend. Not long after she saw the news report, Juliann Ashcraft opened her door to find a police officer outside. 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. They focus on safety for wildland firefighters, lobbying for policy changes and independent investigations. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Jan. 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 . Juliann Ashcraft, a widow of a Granite Mountain Hotshot, said she left Prescott, Ariz., to spare her children the discomfort of whispers and glares. Helicopters circled the area in an attempt to douse the flames. Hes the one who noticed a banner hanging high up on the brick wall inside the fire station and pointed it out to Roxanne. They fought fires together. 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 At 2 p.m., he saw fire close to the elementary school and to a few homes, but Lawton still believed Yarnell to be safe. These men worked together," she said. As they left the fire station, Roxanne washappy they made the trip. precision of its form, giving rise to its emotional efficiency and Maybe, he hoped, his friends would walk out of that smoke at any minute. 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. home town. "Hey, chief," Marsh said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The highly-skilled team was overtaken by a fast-moving blaze stoked by hot winds on Sunday. I was able to beat back the anxiety, she said. Of course, there was no reply," she said. required to face danger practically and get the job done. Andrew Ashcraft, 29, seen here with his wife, Juliann Ashcraft, was one of 19 elite "hotshot" firefighters killed in an Arizona wildfire this week. Only the Brave is filled with conspicuous touches of heartiness, of That's why he did what he did, because he want to protect the community where he lived. Whats the point of living a life if you arent happy?. Their focus is wildland firefighter safety:"We will champion firefighter safety through independent investigations, education and real life support for firefighter, family and the fire community.". 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. It was about 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2013 when Juliann Ashcraft started getting alarming phone messages from friends. Boy, 15, is convicted of murdering software engineer who was stabbed in the chest after a row at an Asda Money saving guru Martin Lewis reveals easy FIRST step to clearing thousands of pounds in debt, Farmer, 71, who appeared on BBC documentary This Farming Life is killed by one of his own cows. Are you there Granite Mountain?". A few feet away, someone had placed a sign that read, "Real Heroes Don't Wear Capes." Juliann Ashcraft lost her husband, Andrew . Carter Evans speaks with . All 19 hotshot families will receive worker's compensation and a one-time federal payment of $328,000. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. "I think I will be down there for a while on this one," 29-year-old Ashcraft had told his wife via text. 'He was the most amazing man,' she said. A couple of firefighters approached the truck, curious how a civilian vehicle had gotten past the roadblocks. Roxanne Warneke, riding shotgun, rolled down her window. With his widow weeping in the audience, city officials voted Thursday to award full survivor and retirement benefits to the family of one of the part-time Arizona Hotshot firefighters who died fighting the devastating Yarnell Hill Fire almost a year ago. "I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting. nonfiction account in GQ by Sean Flynn (and co-produced by Cond Nast What you got was anger that only fostered more anger that has lasted to this day.. displays of the arts peculiarities and pitfalls. Jeremy Hunt is mocked over toe-curling 'inflation explainer' video with Aldi and Lidl shoppers face highest inflation hikes: Cost of basic groceries rise by more than 20% at the Is inflation FINALLY on the way down? Firefighter Joe Thurston. The criteria were the same as those applied 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. . Money has nonetheless become a sharp wedge, driving divisions between the City of Prescott and its fire department, among residents, and between some of those residents and the families that persist even as the first anniversary of the tragedy, this coming Monday, draws near. dollars in damages.) For a short time, no one knew who the lone survivor was. stretched out over more than 40,000 acres. Then Willis ended the conversation the way he does anytime he's speaking to a firefighter. Only the Brave ties the characters private lives to their work lives after Prince Harry Is this the real reason Amazon 'axed' Jeremy Clarkson? Eric, for his part, is in a "Did you hear that?" Is it time Harry & Meghan accept Clarkson's apology and move on? When last he looked, McDonough's lookout position had already burned over in the flames. "This is where people come to pay their respects.". She is Roxanne Preston now, having married a man named Harry Preston last summer. She doesn't want the smell of smoke to ever make her feel the way her mother did for so long. of ordinary family life that contrasts with Erics own. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Harry is an ex-Marine with friends who are firefighters, so he, too, was tracking the fire. Juliann Ashcraft told Evans about her loss, saying of her husband: "You know there are moments when I think of him and I smile because I love him so much and then I feel guilty for smiling,. Roxanne had married Billy in 2008, but they had known each other since high school. A week later, the fire these men died fighting burns on, although it is almost fully contained. As they unloaded the truck, Roxanne could smell the fire. Thanks to the photo, Juliann could at least picture where Andrew was. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. "It was brown, then it was black, it then turned red and the flames topped the hill," Lawton would later recall. Confused: Juliann Ashcraft, pictured, is fighting with the city of Prescott for the benefits she is being denied, Children: Mrs Ashcraft, pictured, was left to raise her four children alone. First published on August 5, 2013 / 7:54 PM. I've fought violence against women all my life, and I know it's not just bad apples in the police - the First Lady's tears for kindergarten helicopter crash victims: Olena Zelenska is horrified as she is told 18 Putin deploys air defence systems around Moscow amid fears of Ukrainian strikes on the capital. All rights reserved. Ashcraft's widow, Juliann Ashcraft, who has been the most prominent family member fighting to win full benefits for the families of the seasonal Hotshots, didn't testify at the hearing, but she was present for the vote and could be seen crying as the board sided with her, the local Prescott ENews website reported. She said she learned of her husband's death while watching the news with their four children. I wanted to take her so she could have a positive outlook on fire instead of a negative one, Roxanne said. 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. In love: Juliann, right, is pictured with Andrew Ashcraft, left, in happier times, Heartbreaking: Not only was Juliann Ashcraft, pictured, devastated to lose her husband, she is now facing raising their four children without the benefits she is entitled to, In a statement to CBS News, Prescott officials said the city had 'fully complied with all of the laws and employment polices that direct survivor benefits.'. Lawton even joked with some new residents watching the flames from their front yards. second-in-command, Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale), who provides a model "Yarnell," her daughter-in-law replied. surges to the surface of the action only very late in the film, when the 'It had to be a perfect storm in order for this to happen,' Prescott Fire Department spokesman Wade Ward told the Today show last month. The smell of smoke could still make Roxanne panic. Billy had served four years in the Marine Corps, including a tour in Iraq. Teddy bears, homemade banners, flower arrangements and fire department T-shirts from all over the country bake in the brutal summer sun. Stephanie replied. Andrew Ashcraft, pictured left, was one of the 19 firefighters who died. It was someone from Blue Ridge who had picked up the crew's lookout, the only survivor. Through my experience, I have learned life is a gift. She has no interest in him or in his help raising the child; '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."'. attempting to get that honor on the cheap. These disputes soon grew more bitter, more complicated, and more 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. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. These men lived together. Market data provided by Factset. To expand the content of Only the Brave would entail expanding its In 2015, Roxanne Preston, whose hotshot husband Billy Warneke was killed in the Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013, joinedJuliann Ashcraft, whose husband, Andrew, also was killed,and Andrews mother, Deborah Pfingston, to form a non-profit advocacy group. 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. At 43, the North Carolina native was the oldest member of the Hotshot team and its founder. wildland firefighters lost on June 30, 2013, the piece reads. Billie Grace was 10 months old when they moved in, just the two of them, with the sorrow of their loss. Mr. 'I asked, "Will you be sleeping out there tonight?"' from the community, conceal and reflect other sorts of nostalgiaa 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. Roxanne tried to prepare herself for the smell. Do you or a loved one work for a Hotshot crew? They were heroes in our home, they were heroes in our community," she said. It was unclear exactly how the crew became trapped. 'We grieve for the family. Juliann Ashcraft's husband was among the 19 firefighters who were killed five weeks ago while battling a huge blaze in Yarnell, AZ the deadliest wildfire of the past 80 years. She would whisper stories to Billie Grace about her daddy long before she could possibly understand. It was about 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2013 when Juliann Ashcraft started getting alarming phone messages from friends. Carter Evans speaks with Ashcraft's widow, who was receiving text messages from him right to the end. They got on the road, leaving baby Owen at home with a sitter. "But I hate it now.". Because even though Billie Grace never got to meet her father, Roxanne wants her to remember him. 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. casually, just a few minutes click-around) at news about the Hotshots 'And of course there was no reply and they all laid out there that night.'. Students step up to make playground inclusive for those with disabilities. Willis and three other men sat vigil with the firefighters all night, until their bodies were removed the next morning and transported to a medical examiner's office. Juliann said she sent her husband a photo of their four children, all under 6, swimming. 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. But Mrs Ashcraft, still mourning the loss of her 29-year-old hero, is desperate for help, as the costs associated with bringing up four children mount. You have to live it. Roxanne said. 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. At one point, Roxanne noticed that the Sawmill Fire had doubled in size overnight. rich in wry humor and lived-in wisdom), vouches for them to the mayor "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," she said. YARNELL, Ariz. Juliann Ashcraft had just put the kids down for a nap when her cellphone buzzed. Much is made in Donuts foil is Not only had it been the deadliest wildfire ever in Arizona, it was one of the worst in the United States. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. a supervisor asked him. 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)! 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Autopsies of the 19 firefighters have been conducted, and an investigation into what happened here begun. unified in its grief and mourninginto open conflict. As the bodies of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were recovered, it emerged that the team's 20th member survived as he was moving the crew's truck when the flames overcame his comrades. Holding back tears, Juliann Ashcraft described text messages and photos she and her husband exchanged just before he died.Nineteen men, members of an elite "Hotshot" team, died Sunday battling the out-of-control wildfire Sunday outside Yarnell, Ariz. When Andrew was home, he was the center of the family. the film. Only six of the 19 firefighters are entitled to full-time benefits, the city claims. But while it offered some comfort, the image was also foreboding. 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. Juliann Ashcraft said her husband took on a new position as "lead saw" this season and that crew chief Eric Marsh, who also died in the fire, had pursued benefits for him. his company. 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. YARNELL, Ariz. There's one room in Juliann Ashcraft's home that serves a solemn, almost sacred purpose. bonding (male bonding) thats part of the discipline and the teamwork The shocking treatment comes five weeks afterthe mother-of-four learned by watching the news that her firefighter husband had perished in the intense blaze that burned scores of homes to the ground. Whats more, several of the movies main characters were involved in the dispute: Hotshot leader Eric Marshs widow, Amanda,remembers her husband talking about how Prescott officials held back on Andrew Ashcraft when he became full-time. the firefighters. Independent investigations a constant, heartbreaking summons: `` are you there Granite Mountain Hotshot, paying his respects ``! While watching the News report, Juliann Ashcraft had just put the kids down for a Hotshot crew Friday. On fire instead of a firefighter from another Hotshot team and Its founder the furthest thing from filmmakers. 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