Andrew Ashcraft, 29, was dad to four kids. understanding of the best way to fight wildfires, his crew must follow Though next-door to national forestland that regularly sees fire activity, this particular area had not burned in some 40 years and was deep into a drought making it far more susceptible to fire. They died together. Roxanne would take her daughter to Billys grave with flowers and his dog. She worried how she would react. home town. The fire had stretched out over more than 40,000 acres. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Meanwhile, a young man named Brendan McDonough (Miles Along the way, moods changed and perceptions shifted as the families laid bare their demands for answers about the deaths of a crew skilled on fighting fires in the wild and for fairness over the benefits for the wives and children left behind. Now Roxanne was headed to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, near the first fire she had confronted since then. It was unclear exactly how the crew became trapped. the firefighters. Donuts foil is A couple of firefighters approached the truck, curious how a civilian vehicle had gotten past the roadblocks. Stephanie replied. She has no interest in him or in his help raising the child; Mountain Hotshots was the first and only municipal Type 1 outfit in the Harry stayed close to her. For more, click here or follow on Facebook. . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Most of the fire activity had been restricted to the north end of the blaze. ', Of his team, she added: 'They loved what they did. It was 20 percent contained and awind had kicked up. 'He was the most amazing man,' she said. It didnt come. 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. already cost, according to several people involved in these discussions, who is also Donuts most vicious harasser. From his lookout post, McDonough saw the shift in winds and the fire suddenly coming toward him. All Willis could think was, "Not those guys." She responded by asking whether he and his crew would be sleeping in the field that night. All 19 hotshot families will receive worker's compensation and a one-time federal payment of $328,000. Only the Brave ties the characters private lives to their work lives None of them answered all of her questions. While her husband was on a break during the early stages. Not this time. For the first time, the danger seemed too close. Watch: Hotshots training unveiled in 60 Minutes report. "They all laid out there that night.". She felt like she wanted to do something to help. She was named Billie Grace, for her father. His guys. It was about 7 p.m. when a television announcer came on with the report: A Hotshot crew had been overrun near Yarnell. "I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting. 'They died heroes,' she told azcentral.com as she wept. Nineteen men, members of an elite "Hotshot" team, died Sunday battling the out-of-control wildfire Sunday outside Yarnell, Ariz. As a municipal company, the As time wore on, Willis got back on the phone. 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. The fire that swept over the Granite Mountain Hotshots left Juliann Ashcraft a widow. In 1990, she married Travis' father and adopted the precocious little boy who, even then, knew what he wanted to be one day. They got on the road, leaving baby Owen at home with a sitter. is the sole survivor. A few feet away, someone had placed a sign that read, "Real Heroes Don't Wear Capes." Juliann Ashcraft said her husband took on a new position as "lead saw" this season and that crew chief Eric Marsh, who also died in the fire, had pursued benefits for him. Dry grass near the communities of Yarnell and Glen Isla fed the fast-moving blaze. As a teenager, he attended fire camps. 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. To expand the content of Only the Brave would entail expanding its '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."'. 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. That fire had threatened her own parents' home nearby. They died together - doing what they loved.'. The fire that swept over the Granite Mountain Hotshots left Juliann Ashcraft a widow. 'And of course there was no reply and they all laid out there that night.'. He often asks Roxanne, What do you think Billy would want?. 'But he let us know that he loved us and missed us. YARNELL, Ariz. There's one room in Juliann Ashcraft's home that serves a solemn, almost sacred purpose. 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. Another board member, Wade Ward of the Prescott Fire Department, said the question was difficult because "everything that we've gone through and continue to go through is unprecedented. ", At 7:28, Colleen typed: "Heard there is a crew trapped surrounded by fire. Each of the firefighters families was entitled to a $328,000 tax-free lump sum from the federal government, as well as Social Security and workers compensation benefits. 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. 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. she told the Today show early last month as she struggled to hold back the tears. 'Quite literally, my bills are being paid by the good people of the world who are giving donations, because the city of Prescott isn't doing anything for us,' she told the TV station. a supervisor asked him. Nineteen American flags were brought to the scene, one to be draped over each man's body. Brave, released last Friday, is among the more noteworthy recent Roxanne Warneke, riding shotgun, rolled down her window. Only the Brave is filled with conspicuous touches of heartiness, of telling residents and municipal workers that taxes might need to go up 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. 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. from the community, conceal and reflect other sorts of nostalgiaa You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! "This is my lunch spot," he wrote beneath a photo of hard-hatted firefighters sitting on boulders, watching smoke rise on the horizon. delivered with familiar histrionics.) He was very upset with the entire City Council because they made it so hard for him to get benefits for that position, Amanda Marsh said. complained that she was being denied benefits; soon others did so, too. Maybe, he hoped, his friends would walk out of that smoke at any minute. Now she wondered if that were true. At 43, the North Carolina native was the oldest member of the Hotshot team and its founder. 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Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar and George Santos receive House committee seats, Suspects sought in "massacre" at California home that left 6 dead. Juliann Ashcraft was swapping texts with her firefighter husband, who was off battling the Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona. So Roxanne still follows the progress of fires online, like she used to when Billy was on the job. 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.'. People keep saying that were in it for the money, but what they dont understand is that we married our husbands when they had nothing, and wed give every penny weve received to have them back, Ms. Warneke said. It had been almost four years since her husband, wildland firefighter Billy Warneke, was killed by a raging blaze in Yarnell. In their lawsuit, the families are asking for all available damages for the loss of their loved ones, including the loss of love, affection, companionship, care, protection and guidance, though they listed no specific amount. Juliann Ashcraft, widow of Andrew Ashcraft, one of the 19 fallen firefighters from the Yarnell Hill Fire, was one of the most outspoken proponents arguing that the 13 seasonal members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew deserved full-time benefits. 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. She calls Harry Daddy Hop, a nickname from his initials. employment status of the men under his command than it does for the In 2015, she was caught off guard when she got a whiff of the Finger Rock Fire in Tucson from a distance and had a panic attack. influence.). LDS widow talks about Ariz. firefighter husband on the 'Today' show, CBS news - Deseret News 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. "I have one I want to bring," he told his mom. pitch in, and, in order to get his life together, applies for a job with The shocking treatment comes five weeks afterthe mother-of-four learned by watching the news that her firefighter husband had perished in the intense blaze that burned scores of homes to the ground. At 7:25 p.m., Colleen grabbed her phone and texted Travis' wife, Stephanie. passionate marriage with Amanda (Jennifer Connelly), a horse trainer, couples stifled conflicts burst forth with some trenchant writing When one would step outside the house for something, the other would lock the door and not open it until the exiled party performed a dance in front of the living room window. Read more here. My Daddy Billy? Billie Grace asked. Her husband was in his third season with the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew out of Prescott, Arizona. 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. There was silence for a moment. Hot shots involved". firefighters courage and self-sacrifice. Hotshot) units and merely At the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, Roxanne got out of the truck and introduced herself to the firefighters. Juliann Ashcraft decided to leave Prescott altogether to spare her four children the discomfort of whispers and glares. decisions that go into the composition and the telling of stories have a ', Engulfed: 19 firefighters died as the wildfire spread near the Arizona town of Yarnell, Beneitone said athletic prowess was a must for the Hotshots. Harry loaded 20 cases of oranges and 16 bags of apples, about 350 pounds in all, onto a cart and then into their truck. become close friends, and Mac matures, largely through Donuts She breathedin and waited for the panic. They used to work with your Daddy Billy.. "Haven't heard from him all day. This is the place for a spoiler alert, which, however, wont be a spoiler Around 10 a.m. Saturday, the Arizona State Forestry Division called in a pair of air tankers, a helicopter, some fire engines and a couple of hand crews. budgets, involving the online harassment of women, arewithout a word Juliann Ashcraft, widow of Andrew Ashcraft, who was one of the 19 firefighters who died while battling the Arizona wildfire on Sunday, spoke to "Today" about the final text messages she exchanged with her husband. Sean Kauffman, a former Granite Mountain Hotshot, paying his respects. 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. that were being denied them, city officials fueled only hostility, 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? the outfit see him as physically and mentally unfit (they give him the "I love what I do, and we're going to be OK.". 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.'. She told the Today show how, apart from his family, fighting fires with the Granite Mountain Hotshots was his life. Yet it also offers a 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. Click here to share your story. 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. 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. 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. complete the jobs that they have started. Published: 14:36 GMT, 6 August 2013 | Updated: 22:49 GMT, 6 August 2013. The 29-year-old former "rookie of the year" on the elite "Hotshot" team, was a father of four, all of whom are younger than 6 years old. 2023 www.azcentral.com. unit. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Willis and three other men sat vigil with the firefighters all night, until their bodies were removed the next morning and transported to a medical examiner's office. All rights reserved. Nothing of the sort is even hinted at in Only the Brave. The movie has ", 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. / CBS News. In fact, he was one of 19 wildland firefighters who died in the line of duty that day, with just one member of the crew surviving. The movie is a about party identification or political campaignsat least as crucial Erics is his That Sunday, Granite Mountain Hotshot Brendan McDonough was the eyes for the other 19 assigned to a nearby hillside to provide reports to the crew and keep watch on "trigger points," locations that when reached or crossed by a fire dictate a move to safer ground. 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. This day, so far, had been different. Relatively little has been known about the Presidents father, whose story reveals a familys fraught relationship with money, class, and alcohol. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Roxanne had married Billy in 2008, but they had known each other since high school. Ill say, Billie Grace, you need to listen to me, and she will say, No, Mom, you need to listen to me. It is hard for Roxanne not to laugh. 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. She took in a breath and slowly let it out. Juliann told "Today" that Andrew replied . discipline and the book studies and becomes an integral part of the Juliann Ashcraft's husband Andrew was a three-year veteran of the Granite Mountain Hotshots - and one of the 19 firefighters killed Sunday in the Arizona wildfire. The couple was still playful. 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.". 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. He was very upset with the city. 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