PHOTOJOURNALIST

Perhaps one of the most interesting, soft souled, woman I met while documenting the destruction on Yarnell Hill was Ellen Gregory, who is a direct descendant of Harrison Lee Yarnell, the founder of Yarnell. Ellen, found us while she was out for her early morning walk about 7am when we were walking down the main road (89A) attempting to keep ourselves composed as we documented the destruction. Ellen is part of Yarnell’s historical society. She is also widowed, and returned to Yarnell to retire. She has been back for about 10 months she says. She also attends the Presbyterian Church. “Yarnell will help one another. We don’t let anyone go hungry, or go without. We all chip in and pull each other through. We will chip in now and pull each other through this. Some are already talking about leaving, and I think that’s sad, because we are like family here, and you don’t want to see family go. “She spoke to us for almost an hour as we documented, Ellen told us about Yarnell’s proud history, and that this community, “will never forget the hero’s that saved us, and saved our town.”  As she spoke from the heart, with misty eyes, she said if she could shake the hands of these men, she would, and she would fix them a good heartily dinner to show her appreciation. “They now sit next to God with their crowns, surely they watched over the rest of us, to make sure not one single resident was lost. I cannot express my deepest love for these brave souls.” Ellen is allowing me to sit down with her further. Luckily her home was spared. When I asked her what her feelings were about her home being spared and other’s she knew losing their homes she said this, “They can come live in my house, they can come take a bath here, eat here, and stay as long as they need to. I’m older and retired now, but I will pitch in, in any way I can. Even if that means going into town (Prescott or Wickenburg) to fetch curtains, sheets, or whatever it is, I will. Not much this body can do these days, but I will do whatever it allows me to. This is my home, this is my family.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Pete Incardona, you might remember him from Ty Pennington’s ‘Extreme House Makeover’ Show. He was the design director, and is so sweet. He is a resident of Yarnell, and operates half of his Granite business out of Wickenburg and out of Yarnell. He is heading up the reconstruction and rebuilding of Yarnell. I asked him if his home was spared, and he said thankfully yes, that, “I am among the lucky few to have a home and a shop left and still in god standing.” When I asked him how he was coping with the destruction he said, “How do you think I’m feeling? My heart is just dying. To see friends who stand tall crumble and sob because they lost everything, truly breaks your heart. You can’t look around and not be moved. You can’t look into the eyes of my fellow friends and residents of Yarnell, and not feel their pain.” When he told me who he was and who he worked for, he invited me into his office there, and talked to us for a bit. He told us how strong Yarnell is, and how in no time they will re-build. He is optimistic that this town will be back to normal soon, and that they plan to honor the memories of their hero’s forever.

Whether you speak to one, or you speak to many, the whole consensus of the resident’s in Yarnell is that their 19 hero’s saved their town. Their deaths give them perspective, that they only lost material possessions, and that they will come together, where neighbor helps neighbor pick up the pieces, wash off the charred  edges, clear out the debris, and re-build their homes. Life will go on. But in their hearts, they know that they have a town left, because their Hero’s worked hard at saving it, and they will not let the 19 who perished be in vain. It’s hard not to hear these stories and mourn with them, It’s hard not to be moved by this tragedy, it’s harder not to want to say, “what if it were me….”