CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An airplane flew across the sky on Thursday near Robstown, spraying out an orange-red fire retardant onto a blazing fire that ravaged 27 acres on the corner of County Roads 81 and 30.
Mary McCann and her family watched as their shed and trailer caught on fire, with the family losing most of their possessions inside of it: books, furniture and tools.
“It’s going to take a while to get all this cleaned up,” Mary McCann said as she looked at a sea of her charred possessions on Friday.
“Demon, demon,” she and her son Mark called out, still looking for their cat they lost during the fire.
“I try not to think about it because it’s gone, and it’s no bringing it back,” Mary said.
But it’s impossible not to think of the memories. They come rushing over her as she looks up at what seems to be a regular old oak tree, but for the McCann family, it has sentimental value. It was a wedding present Mary and her husband received almost 40 years ago. It’s still standing, but completely charred in black and white ashes.
“Memories…you can’t take the memories away,” she said.
The McCanns are living without water for the time being; the fire burned their hoses and water pump. A neighbor that lives next door stepped up and is allowing them to use some of his water.
“Neighbors helping neighbors, that’s what it’s all about,” Mary said.
The family is currently looking to replace their possessions, and they’re reaching out to family and old friends to help them out.
But despite their sudden misfortune, the McCann family still had smiles on their faces, just grateful that it wasn’t a total loss, as the Nueces County Emergency Services were able to save their trailer they live in. Mary hailed all her praises to the firefighters and police officers who helped.
“Shoutout to what my mom did, about grateful to the police and fire department that they went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that our current place got saved,” Mark McCann said.
During these trying times, there is one thing the McCann family isn’t forgetting —- their faith.
“The good Lord takes us and he won’t give us any burdens that we can’t bear if we trust in Him and I’m trusting in Him,” Mary said.
If you or someone you know are ever in a situation like the McCann family, Nueces County Social Services provides resources to those affected by fires and other emergency situations if they meet the income requirements. They also partner with organizations like the Red Cross and goodwill to provide items like clothes if families need it.
“We help with basic needs such as rent, water, gas, electric, food,” Rebecca Rach, the director of social services said.
