juliann ashcraft new husband

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. It was about 7 p.m. when a television announcer came on with the report: A Hotshot crew had been overrun near Yarnell. 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. 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. 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. firefighters courage and self-sacrifice. Juliann found some comfort in that, and also in learning that her husband and his friends were never left alone. To expand the content of Only the Brave would entail expanding its Mrs 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. 'We could sure use some rain over here,' he said. Her heart pounded, and she began to hyperventilate. the outfit see him as physically and mentally unfit (they give him the Harry is an ex-Marine with friends who are firefighters, so he, too, was tracking the fire. I feel like we need to do something for these guys, she said. Last month, at a hearing over extending benefits for Ms. Ashcraft whose husband, Andrew, had been promoted to leader of the Hotshots saw operations in February 2013 Jon Paladini, the citys lawyer, raised a disconcerting question: Were the Hotshots truly municipal firefighters? Hes the one who noticed a banner hanging high up on the brick wall inside the fire station and pointed it out to Roxanne. City officials declined multiple requests for an interview, but Monday they sent a statement. 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. complained that she was being denied benefits; soon others did so, too. Roxanne told them about the non-profit group. Brendan is first seen as a young A couple of firefighters approached the truck, curious how a civilian vehicle had gotten past the roadblocks. "And I knew I had to get out.". Ashcraft did not think it would be this much of an issue. 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.". I saw that it kept growing, Roxanne said. Roxanne Warneke, riding shotgun, rolled down her window. regarding themand about their locale and American times at As she kept watch on the Sawmill Fire,Roxanne sent a Facebook message to Deborah. For a short time, no one knew who the lone survivor was. 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. Family photographs reveal a picture perfect family as Juliann and Andrew are seen grinning and kissing, as well as laughing along with their four young children. That afternoon Juliann texted to report that it was raining at their house in nearby Prescott. Maybe, thought Willis, they're just out of radio contact. As they unloaded the truck, Roxanne could smell the fire. Gov. At the time, a weather station 6 miles away showed winds coming from the southwest at 10 mph. These are people who risk their own lives every day," Roxanne said. Juliann Ashcraft said she is desperate for help. "This is where people come to pay their respects.". Then he rode away with a firefighter from another Hotshot team. precision of its form, giving rise to its emotional efficiency and As they left the fire station, Roxanne washappy they made the trip. 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. As a municipal company, the Ad Choices, The Familial Furies of Noah Baumbachs The Meyerowitz Stories, Harvey Weinstein and the Illusion of the Vulgar But Passionate Old-Hollywood Studio Boss, The Wildfires Ravaging Northern California. life at large, or even into the life that surrounds them in their own News. She calls Harry Daddy Hop, a nickname from his initials. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. When it came time to vote on the benefits extension, his was the only dissenting vote. Death toll: The Yarnell wildfire is the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years. The movie is a Juliann Ashcraft and her husband Andrew were twenty-somethings with four young children when he died in the line of duty in Prescott, Arizona on June 30, 2013. . They died together. Ashcraft, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was honored to be a member of the Hotshot crew, and 'he just had a really sweet spirit about him,' Elise Smith, a Prescott, Arizona, resident, told The Deseret News of Salt Lake City. Her mother doesn't hold back though. They used to work with your Daddy Billy.. Then Willis ended the conversation the way he does anytime he's speaking to a firefighter. The burly engine man based out of Flagstaff, Ariz., clambered up a small rise of river rock to clip one of his department's T-shirts to the fence. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Juliann told "Today" that Andrew replied . become close friends, and Mac matures, largely through Donuts Andrew Ashcraft, 29, seen here with his wife, Juliann Ashcraft, was one of 19 elite "hotshot" firefighters killed in an Arizona wildfire this week. Hotshot) units and merely Relatively little has been known about the Presidents father, whose story reveals a familys fraught relationship with money, class, and alcohol. And then another, and another. 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. as the story, no prexisting idea or self-determined material that CBS News obtained paperwork that shows Ashcraft did earn a full-time salary. At the time, Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said the 19 firefighters were a part of the city's fire department. Not this time. PRESCOTT, Ariz. Before dawn, Juliann Ashcraft kissed her husband goodbye as he left . telling residents and municipal workers that taxes might need to go up Andrew Ashcraft, 29, was dad to four kids. Because even though Billie Grace never got to meet her father, Roxanne wants her to remember him. Maybe, he hoped, his friends would walk out of that smoke at any minute. A crew of 600 firefighters and related personnel had been assigned to it. large, that are inseparable from the real-life story that it is telling. She told the Today show how, apart from his family, fighting fires with the Granite Mountain Hotshots was his life. home town. bonding (male bonding) thats part of the discipline and the teamwork 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? She and Billy used to go to nearby Patagonia often, to hike and fish, taking State Highway 83. As it stands, the city had entered only six of the Hotshots 19 fallen members into this system, or those who were considered full-time employees. The slopes that surround the community are laden with manzanita, evergreen, mountain mahogany and oak. Helicopters circled the area in an attempt to douse the flames. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. nickname Donut), but Donut masters the necessary tough physical He sent back a picture of the fire, which he described as wild, that would ultimately claim his life. As a teenager, he attended fire camps. delivered with familiar histrionics.) '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. All 19 Hotshot families will receive worker's compensation and a one-off federal payment of $328,000. He was the only one of the 13 Hotshots denied full benefits who worked a 40 hour week through out the year. Together, the four of them are making a life together. Only six of the 19 firefighters are entitled to full-time benefits, the city claims. 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. 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. That fire had threatened her own parents' home nearby. Yet there she stood, her loss all too real. "Hey, chief," Marsh said. There, officials gave some details of what had happened. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, It turns out, however, their families may not receive the same compensation. The crew had barely gotten home from a different blaze when word came that the team was needed again. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Our kids will remember them as heroes as well.. 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 was named Billie Grace, for her father. Do you or a loved one work for a Hotshot crew? It was about 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2013 when Juliann Ashcraft started getting alarming phone messages from friends. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The fire that swept over the Granite Mountain Hotshots left Juliann Ashcraft a widow. Watch: Hotshots training unveiled in 60 Minutes report. Then in the next breath he added, "I want to be Batman.". unified in its grief and mourninginto open conflict. "Haven't heard from him all day. required to face danger practically and get the job done. Hot shots involved". Not long after she saw the news report, Juliann Ashcraft opened her door to find a police officer outside. "They never think it will happen to them.. You have to live it. Roxanne said. 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. They live in that same house, built by her community, an American flag still flying out front, a play fort in the backyard now. Soon, Lawton's casual mood turned dark when a neighbor reported that town evacuations were underway. He had been saying all season that this would be his last as a Hotshot. Juliann Ashcraft decided to leave Prescott altogether to spare her four children the discomfort of whispers and glares. . Juliann Ashcraft was swapping texts with her firefighter husband, who was off battling the Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona. In June 2013, when the fire swept through Yarnell, Roxanne was pregnant with their first child, a daughter, born six months after Billy died. who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.. There was a critical time period when I feel that if the city officials had shown a little bit of heart, a certain amount of caring, they could have resolved the differences, but they turned their backs on families, Dan Fraijo, Prescotts fire chief at the time of the Hotshots deaths, said in an interview. It was everything to him. Your Daddy Billy came to visit you? Harry asked. In the months after the fire, there would be an investigation. By Molly Hennessy-Fiske. CBS News has seen paperwork showing Mr Ashcraft did infact earn a full-time salary as a firefighter for the city of Prescott. Back in Prescott, Juliann Ashcraft was watching television with her children Ryder, 6; Shiloh, 4; Tate Andrew, 2; and Choice, 1. "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. Counting calories IS king when it comes to losing weight - NOT fasting, study finds. He responded that he wished for that too. Following standard procedure, they also mapped out an escape route. Is humanity doomed? 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. Roxanne recognized the hotshot crews called into help, including Blue Ridge from Happy Jack. (Forrest Fyre), and Eric is authorized to seek Type 1 certification for A municipal firefighter, in the common use of that term, is not a wildland firefighter: Its the red truck guy, Mr. Paladini told the board, composed of four members, including two members of the Prescott Fire Department, whose Wildland Division employed the fallen firefighters, and the citys mayor, Marlin Kuykendall. mothers house. The movie The boys have visited stations and gotten to climb on the engines. Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content, 2022 LDS Living A Division of Deseret Book Company. 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. Students step up to make playground inclusive for those with disabilities. California faces dangerous mudslides after monster storms. Less then two days after Andrew Ashcraft's life was taken, Juliann Ashcraft spoke about her husband and the other members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew. This day, so far, had been different. complete the jobs that they have started. For the first time, the danger seemed too close. 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. Nothing of the sort is even hinted at in Only the Brave. The movie has Juliann Ashcraft lost her husband, Andrew . (Of course, he and Donut largeas anything in the movie. The movie also gives both men a foil. Through my experience, I have learned life is a gift. He can be reached at features@ap.org. Thats for your daddy, she told her. Off in the distance, from behind a ridge line, billowed a sickly, blackish-brown plume spreading like a bruise across the graying sky. 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. Juliann Ashcraft, 28, whose 29-year-old husband, Andrew, was among the Granite Mountain Hotshots members killed during the June 30 blaze, said she will receive workers' compensation and a. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. LDS widow talks about Ariz. firefighter husband on the 'Today' show, CBS news - Deseret News If you hear anything please let me know. 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. "I know that you love it," she told him. Teller), a slacker and a stoner, has gotten a young woman (Natalie Hall) . Legal Statement. As time wore on, Willis got back on the phone. The highly-skilled team was overtaken by a fast-moving blaze stoked by hot winds on Sunday. For now, these towns and these families can only grieve, and begin planning for funerals. She is Roxanne Preston now, having married a man named Harry Preston last summer. 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. pitch in, and, in order to get his life together, applies for a job with Reach Bland at karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8614. Mr. Last year, Deborah, who lives in Prescott, delivered fresh fruit and beef jerky to crews working on the Tenderfoot Fire in Yarnell. The art of storytelling is treacherous, and the new film Only the or redistributed. They made their way there on back roads. 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. Andrew Ashcraft, 29, of Prescott, Ariz., was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of 19 firefighters who died battling a fire that swept through Yarnell, Ariz . were killed fighting a wildfire near Yarnell, Ariz. In high school, he'd spend hours after classes studying fire science. Lots of homes potentially at risk. With that, their exchanges stopped. wildfire-fighting outfit in Prescott, Arizona, thats relegated to Type If State Highway 83 had been open, it would have taken an hour and a half or so. Blue Ridge had helped battle the blaze that killed Billy and the hotshot crew. 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. August 5, 2013 / 7:54 PM Eric, for his part, is in a Billie Grace was 10 months old when they moved in, just the two of them, with the sorrow of their loss. 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.". Much is made in 'Now I have four kids and myself, and I don't know what I'm going to do. Now she wondered if that were true. "They loved what they did. Lawton even joked with some new residents watching the flames from their front yards. The 19 remaining Hotshots were deploying their emergency fire shelters lightweight cocoons made of reflective material intended as a firefighter's last resort. It cost about $320. "I love what I do, and we're going to be OK.". budgets, involving the online harassment of women, arewithout a word 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. "We could really use some rain over here," he replied. Outside of the love he shared for his family members, hotshot firefighting was his life, his wife said. ", 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. Hotshots. about party identification or political campaignsat least as crucial They reach out to firefighters and families who need support. Roxanne had married Billy in 2008, but they had known each other since high school. unit. At 43, the North Carolina native was the oldest member of the Hotshot team and its founder. Yet as I "Now I have four kids and myself, and I don't know what I'm going to do.". (Some The tail credits state the names of the other "It was brown, then it was black, it then turned red and the flames topped the hill," Lawton would later recall. At 4:47 p.m., Eric Marsh did radio to fire commanders, and his message was utterly terrifying. IE 11 is not supported. 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. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. That afternoon Juliann texted to report that it was raining at their house in nearby Prescott. second-in-command, Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale), who provides a model The area had already been bulldozed, so the crew used chain saws, axes and other gear to build a line between the blaze and the town in case the winds changed and blew flames their way. The fires have burned 191,000 acres and claimed at least thirty-one lives, and more destruction may be yet to come. President Obama called the firefighters heroes and highly skilled professionals who 'put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens they would never meet.'. As the Hotshots attacked the blaze from the ground and aircraft dropped retardant from above, Yarnell school board member Eric Lawton was returning home from a trip. Andrew Ashcraft, pictured left, was one of the 19 firefighters who died. and exemplary a vision of contemporary American life as the tale of the possibility that there might be anyone besides white people in Prescott). Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/AllenGBreed, Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. All 19 hotshot families will receive worker's compensation and a one-time federal payment of $328,000. They pay to replace or update equipment. "News?? It had been almost four years since her husband, wildland firefighter Billy Warneke, was killed by a raging blaze in Yarnell. "The city has fully complied with all of the laws and employment policies that direct survivor benefits," the statement said. 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. 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. We grieve for the department. Roxanne had married Billy in 2008, but they had known each other since high school. 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. 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. The elite team, Ashcraft said, were like a family. 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 action of Only the Brave is centered on Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin), "I think I will be down there for a while on this one," 29-year-old Ashcraft had told his wife via text. Nineteen American flags were brought to the scene, one to be draped over each man's body. She doesn't want the smell of smoke to ever make her feel the way her mother did for so long. Experts say streaming giant will drop star when his Rishi Sunak demands Labour's Keir Starmer backs anti-strike laws ahead of looming de-facto general strike in More misery for NHS patients as thousands of nurses stage two-day strike across England: Health chiefs warn Is it time for the Government to give the nurses a better pay deal? On the Fourth of July, firefighter Nik Christian stopped by to pay his respects. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. women who lost their husbands in the disaster. 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. Market data provided by Factset. From his lookout post, McDonough saw the shift in winds and the fire suddenly coming toward him. Still, during the summer wildfire season, it was not unusual for the couple to go weeks on end without any communication. His sister contends he belongs to her alone. dollars in damages.) Allen G. Breed is a national writer, based in Raleigh, N.C. 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. All rights reserved. We grieve for the city,' he said at a news conference on June 30.
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