'I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is.'. "I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads. Helicopters had been unable to reach the highly-trained men as they fought the flames in Yarnell and they could not be saved by their emergency shelters - tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames and heat. She said she learned of her husband's death while watching the news with their four children. She noticed that everybody who used to work with her father wore green pants. Juliann Ashcraft's husband, Andrew, was hired as a member of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew as a temporary worker in 2011 and was named rookie of the year. Whats the point of living a life if you arent happy?. These men worked together," she said. Prescott, which is more than 30 miles northeast of Yarnell, is one of the only cities in the United States that has a hot shot fire crew, Fraijo said. 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. In the months after the fire, there would be an investigation. Prescott High School physical education teacher and coach Lou Beneitone taught many of the Hotshots, and remembered Ashcraft as a fitness-oriented student. Ashcraft did not think it would be this much of an issue. They died together. For a long time, Roxanne didnt understandeither, how a highly qualified crew, well-trained and disciplinedby all accounts, with a lookout and regular protocols, could have found itself trapped in a canyon with no way out. "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.'". Because shewants her daughter to respect fire, to be mindful of it, but not to be afraid. They are happy. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news . 'One of the last fail safe methods that a firefighter can do under those conditions is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective - kinda looks like a foil type - fire-resistant material - with the desire, the hope at least, is that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it,' Fraijo said. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. She is Roxanne Preston now, having married a man named Harry Preston last summer. 'And of course there was no reply and they all laid out there that night.'. "I vote yes.". 'And we'll miss them. 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. 'The best person I know. Yet there she stood, her loss all too real. We just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet.'. Her palms grew sweaty. He added that the firefighters had to deploy the emergency shelters when 'something drastic' occurred. It continues to burn, with flames lighting up the night sky in the forest above Yarnell, a town of about 700 residents about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. Do you or a loved one work for a Hotshot crew? Because of the dangers of the job, he would always tell us that he loved us. febr 24, 2023. in gif bon matin humour. She doesn't want the smell of smoke to ever make her feel the way her mother did for so long. 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. That they are missed and that they're still going to live on in our lives and in the lives of our kids. 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The smell of smoke could still make Roxanne panic. Asked what she tells her kids, Juliann Ashcraft said: "I just tell them how amazing their dad is. It cost about $320. I wish for the world could know that they lost this army of honorable men, she said.On the day of the fire, the father of four texted how much he loved his family and shared a photo of the wildfire as the hotshots moved into harms way. 'By the time they got there, it was moving very quickly,' he said. British Summer Time begins in March but do you wind your watch forward or back this spring, Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class, Covid gurus Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance warned that shielding wasn't 'very effective' at start of pandemic - yet policy affecting 2.2m Brits wasn't dropped until April 2021, 'Appalled and sickened but not surprised at all': Fury of Covid families as WhatsApps 'show Matt Hancock rejected Chris Whitty's care home Covid testing advice before 43k died' - but ex-Health Secretary insists there 'just weren't enough tests'. 'Problem solving, teamwork, ability to make decisions in a stressful environment and being nice are the attributes of our crewmembers,' its website read. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. They got on the road, leaving baby Owen at home with a sitter. The fire that swept over the Granite Mountain Hotshots left Juliann Ashcraft a widow. 'He had some athletic ability in him and he was a go-getter, too. Right now, we're in crisis. 'That's what it takes. Nineteen firefighters were killed, Proud: Kevin Woyjeck, right, is pictured with his father, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Outside of the love he shared for his family. His wife says he always thought of others before himself. 'That's what it takes. Juliann Ashcraft, an LDS wife and mother, appeared on the "Today" show and CBS news Tuesday morning to discuss her husband, who has been hailed as a hero. 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.'. 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Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content, 2022 LDS Living A Division of Deseret Book Company. Watch:Elite Firefighters Carry 2 Fawns From Danger Amid Massive Forest Fire, Are Massage Chairs Safe? 'We grieve for the family. What she couldn't explain to her children -- ages 6, 4, 2, and 1 -- was how their father died with 18 of his fellow Hotshots in fire shelters, a last resort. 6 Amazon travel essentials for your next getaway, starting at $12. They reach out to firefighters and families who need support. Juliann Ashcraft said she found out her firefighter husband, Andrew, was among the dead by watching the news with her four children. Juliann Ashcraft is looking forward to July 1, the day after the one-year anniversary of the wildfire disaster that took the lives of her husband Andrew and 18 other members of the Granite. We grieve for the department. Helicopters had been unable to reach the highly-trained men as they fought the flames in Yarnell and they could not be saved by their emergency shelters - tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames and heat. She told them she had brought fruit. At times, the pain is overwhelming for the women and they say their hotshot firefighters were larger than life now they will have a fitting tribute on the big screen. In June 2013, when the fire swept through Yarnell, Roxanne was pregnant with their first child, a daughter, born six months after Billy died. List of 19 promises made by Andrew Sterling Ashcraft to his wife . Juliann said she sent her husband a photo of their four children, all under 6, swimming. You gotta be very physically fit, and you gotta like it, gotta like the hard work.'. CBS News obtained paperwork that shows Ashcraft did earn a full-time salary. 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. advancements, How to kick those late-night food cravings, 6 Amazon travel favorites for your next big getaway, TODAY walking group friends meet in person for first time. A couple of firefighters approached the truck, curious how a civilian vehicle had gotten past the roadblocks. I tell them we'll be OK, and that I love them.". At the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, Roxanne got out of the truck and introduced herself to the firefighters. These are people who risk their own lives every day," Roxanne said. 'I asked, "Will you be sleeping out there tonight?"' At one point, Roxanne noticed that the Sawmill Fire had doubled in size overnight. Billy had served four years in the Marine Corps, including a tour in Iraq. Roxanne Warneke, riding shotgun, rolled down her window. Final moments: Mrs Ashcraft shared the final image Andrew Ashcraft texted her before the 19 firefighters were killed by the flames, An honorary flagpole is shown at the site where the 19 firefighters died, The devastation has been described as a 'moonscape' after an inferno so intense that only the metal part of one chain saw was found, 'It still did not look as catastrophic as it turned out to be,' she said. Play it now! 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. As much as he loved his crew, I know in some way he must have thought of My God, I can't be leaving my family, she said. 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. The deaths mean that Prescott has lost a staggering 20 per cent of its department. I saw that it kept growing, Roxanne said. Ashcraft had only been with the Hotshots for a few years, as we can surmise from Juliann Ashcraft's comments about her husband's decorated career as an elite firefighter. City officials declined multiple requests for an interview, but Monday they sent a statement. They died together - doing what they loved.'. 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. "I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is," she said. "That's why I never worried for their safety. While Juliann is devastated by what happened to her husband she knows that he died doing what he loved saving lives. In an. "They lived together, they fought fires together, and they died together doing what they loved.". Juliann Ashcraft sobbed as she recounted the bravery of her beloved husband Andrew and his close unit of highly-trained 'hotshot' colleagues, who were overcome by the ferocious flames in Yarnell . Juliann met with families of two Beartown firefighters from Michigan who were killed and another half dozen who were injured in an accident on their way to the Box Canyon wildfire in Utah last summer. It was the deadliest wildfire ever in Arizona;19 men on the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew out of Prescott were killed. Andrew Ashcraft's widow wept in the audience as the Prescott, Ariz., retirement board decided her family deserved full-time survivor payments. His sister contends he belongs to her alone. Older Americans increasingly struggling to save for retirement. 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. Ms. Ashcraft said Thursday that not . She had read reports online that firefighters had been killed, but didn't know for sure her husband was a victim until authorities showed up at her front door. They were heroes in our home, they were heroes in our community," she said. When they were found on Sunday, all 19 shelters were deployed but some of the men's bodies were inside their individual shelters, while others were outside - indicating just how suddenly they were overcome by the flames. 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. A crew of 600 firefighters and related personnel had been assigned to it. Not this time. First published on July 3, 2013 / 5:33 AM. They live in that same house, built by her community, an American flag still flying out front, a play fort in the backyard now. 'We're devastated. It was unclear exactly how the crew became trapped. That is not common language, because usually he gets a thrill form the fire, a thrill from being there helping, and this was a different scenario.". CBS News has seen paperwork showing Mr Ashcraft did infact earn a full-time salary as a firefighter for the city of Prescott. 'It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: fighting fires is dangerous work. They focus on safety for wildland firefighters, lobbying for policy changes and independent investigations. He listened intently as she recounted her dream. To learn more about Only The Brave and how you can support the wildland firefighter communities through the Granite Mountain Fund, click here. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. Juliann Ashcraft lost her husband, Andrew. Another firefighter's son lost his life; Capt. Harry stayed close to her. Billie Grace is headstrong and independent. Ashcraft's plans may soon include a lawsuit against the city. ', Of his team, she added: 'They loved what they did. The fire had stretched out over more than 40,000 acres. were killed fighting a wildfire near Yarnell, Ariz. the house Billy had dreamed of, the one he promised Roxanne, was built by firefighters, friends and neighbors, and complete strangers, They focus on safety for wildland firefighters, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. she told the Today show early last month as she struggled to hold back the tears. Fire shelters fail to protect elite fire crew from Ariz. blazeShock over loss of 19 Ariz. firefighters in wildfireLightning sparked deadly Arizona fireA look at deadly U.S. fire crew incidents, CBS News' Carter Evans, who spoke with Juliann Ashcraft, reported on "CBS This Morning": "When I spoke with Juliannshe had many questions. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. And she wasglad she brought Billie Grace. 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.. He responded that he wished for that too. These men lived together. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. host: ITV boss who 'forced out Piers Morgan' confirms star will step down after next season - following Meghan column fallout, Nearly half of British viewers believe ethnic minorities and LGBT communities are over-represented on TV, new survey finds, What you need to know about new number plates on cars being sold across the country TODAY - and how to find out where yours was registered, When do the clocks change in 2023? Roxanne buried Billy in the veterans sections of a cemetery in Marana, with full military honors, not far from where they lived. "When I saw them, I just fell to the floor, because I knew," she said. She responded by asking whether he and his crew would be sleeping in the field that night. We love them.'. I've told them every chance I've gotten since then, 'Your dad loves you, and he's with you,' and they just call him their angel and they said they'll see him in heaven. After a two-day hearing, the retirement board of the city of Prescott voted to award the enhanced benefits to the family of Andrew Ashcraft, who perished last June along with 12 other seasonal or part-time members and six full-time members of the elite Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew in the largest loss of firefighters' lives since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It is also the deadliest wildland blaze for firefighters in the U.S. for 80 years. 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. ', Tragic: Chris Mackenzie (right) also died in the inferno on June 30. A contagious smile, a heart of gold. It turns out that, just a few weeks after the tragedy, one widow, More than once, Mr. Kuykendall had argued against extending benefits for Ms. Ashcraft and her children, telling The Associated Press last fall that it was very obvious she was motivated by greed. Juliann Ashcraft sobbed as she recounted the bravery of her beloved husband and his close unit of highly-trained 'hotshot' colleagues, who were overcome by the ferocious flames in Yarnell Hill. "And we'll. My Daddy Billy? Billie Grace asked. ", Juliann Ashcraft said her children don't understand "the finality of it." The comments below have not been moderated. 1 of 16. 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Together, the four of them are making a life together. Yet here she was. I dreamed of Daddy Billy.. (CBS News) Among the 19 firefighters killed Sunday in Arizona was 29-year-old Andrew Ashcraft. "They loved what they did. But she's worried what will happen when the dust settles from all of this. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. There was silence for a moment. With their deaths, the department lost 20 per cent of its members. A contagious smile, a heart of gold. They took Billie Grace with them. But there was no question her husband died doing something he loved, doing whatever he had to help others. The team, which was formed in 2002, is part of the Prescott Fire Department, the oldest in the state. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. 'He was the most amazing man,' she said. She never took her eyes off his casket until it was lowered into the ground. Juliann Ashcraft said she is desperate for help. Read more here. The crew killed in the blaze had been working on other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona, Fraijo said. Juliann is related to Terry C Ashcraft and Olive Ellen Ashcraft as well as 3 additional people. 'He was the most amazing man,' she said. Roxanne recognized the hotshot crews called into help, including Blue Ridge from Happy Jack. They died together - doing what they loved.'. 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. Krista Carter's husband, Travis, was a father of two. Juliann Ashcraft, wife of late firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, receives a U.S. flag during a memorial service in July. 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. 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