A SIOUX CITY MAN HAS RETURNED FROM CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE TRIED TO SAVE HIS MOTHER’S HOME FROM WILDFIRES THAT DESTROYED HER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE TOWN OF PARADISE, CALIFORNIA.
ANDREW DURAN IS A RETIRED CARPENTER WHO HAD BEEN WORKING ON HIS MOTHER’S HOME IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE FIRES SWEPT THROUGH THE AREA.
HE STAYED BEHIND AS HIS MOTHER AND TWO BROTHERS FLED THE APPROACHING FLAMES TO TRY AND SAVE THEIR HOMES:
OC…….HE WENT UP. ;23
DURAN QUICKLY FOUND HIMSELF FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE WHERE HE WAS ALSO IN DANGER OF BEING TRAPPED FROM THE FIRE THAT WAS SURROUNDING HIM.
HE SHOT AND NARRATED A CELL PHONE VIDEO OF THE HOMES GOING UP IN FLAMES AROUND HIM AS HE MADE HIS WAY TOWARDS NEARBY FIREFIGHTERS:
OC………..LOVE YOU, BYE :29
A CHICO, CALIFORNIA FIRE TRUCK TOOK DURAN SAFELY OUT OF THE FIRE ZONE.
LOOKING BACK, DURAN SAYS HE WAS FOCUSED ON SAVING HIS MOTHER’S HOME AND NOT WORRIED ABOUT HIS OWN SAFETY AT THAT TIME:
OC…………NOT GOING TO BE HOMELESS. :17
DURAN’S MOTHER AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS ALL MADE IT TO A NEARBY WAL-MART SET UP AS A REFUGEE SITE.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY STAYING WITH OTHER RELATIVES IN CALIFORNIA AND DECIDING IF THEY WILL REBUILD OR MOVE ELSEWHERE.
