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. Andrew Ashcraft texted this photo to his wife, Juliann, just before he perished in a blaze Sunday. You gotta be very physically fit, and you gotta like it, gotta like the hard work.'. 'We're devastated. juliann ashcraft new husband. 'And we'll miss them. ', Tragic: Chris Mackenzie (right) also died in the inferno on June 30. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. the house Billy had dreamed of, the one he promised Roxanne, was built by firefighters, friends and neighbors, and complete strangers, They focus on safety for wildland firefighters, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. But the Yarnell Hill fire was different. 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. The importance of preparing emotionally for retirement, Supreme Court hears arguments in student loan case. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Death toll: The Yarnell wildfire is the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years. His wife says he always thought of others before himself. Ashcraft says the city has refused to pay full benefits for her husband's death . They were invincible. On Monday, Juliann was pictured at a makeshift memorial in Prescott for the fallen firefighters. She said she had been texting her husband throughout the day - with him telling her how much he loved and missed her, and how proud he was of their young children - until he abruptly stopped. She doesn't want the smell of smoke to ever make her feel the way her mother did for so long. Southwest incident team leader Clay Templin said the team and its commanders were following safety protocols, but it appears the fire's erratic nature simply overwhelmed them. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. I feel like we need to do something for these guys, she said. CBS News has seen paperwork showing Mr Ashcraft did infact earn a full-time salary as a firefighter for the city of Prescott. Thats for your daddy, she told her. The 4-1 vote came at the same time that an army of . But she's been denied the lifetime benefits she was counting on to raise her four children, the youngest of whom is 18 months old. Through my experience, I have learned life is a gift. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Fallen firefighter's mom talks son's death, finals moments, New FDA-approved drug can slow vision loss, Lawsuits claim dental device wrecked teeth, Murdaugh trial heads into closing arguments, Fire shelters fail to protect elite fire crew from Ariz. blaze, Shock over loss of 19 Ariz. firefighters in wildfire, A look at deadly U.S. fire crew incidents, How you can help victims of the Yarnell Hill fire. They died together - doing what they loved.'. July 2, 2013, 3:05 PM. She and Billy used to go to nearby Patagonia often, to hike and fish, taking State Highway 83. "I vote yes.". She never took her eyes off his casket until it was lowered into the ground. List of 19 promises made by Andrew Sterling Ashcraft to his wife . At times, the pain is overwhelming for the women and they say their hotshot firefighters were larger than life now they will have a fitting tribute on the big screen. "They died heroes," she said, wiping away tears. Harry stayed close to her. Watch: Hotshots training unveiled in 60 Minutes report. These men lived together. We love them.'. "They never think it will happen to them.. She was named Billie Grace, for her father. 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. He was a father of four young children. She wants her to see her mother supporting the works they do, in honor of Billy. 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. 'The best person I know. But the city is refusing to pay Mrs Ashcraft her husband's lifetime salary and health benefits, which together are worth millions, because it insists he was among 13 of the squad who were seasonal employees rather than full-timers. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He often asks Roxanne, What do you think Billy would want?. Stuart Johnson, Deseret News. There was silence for a moment. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Mr Ashcraft also sent his wife a picture of their view of the smoke and flames from his team's lunch spot on Sunday, and Juliann said that she was not particularly concerned when she saw it. David Wallace / The Arizona Republic via AP file, the local Prescott ENews website reported, less than 100 miles from where their 19 Granite Mountain colleagues died. It was upgraded from a Type 2 fire to Type 1, the most complex. At one point, Roxanne noticed that the Sawmill Fire had doubled in size overnight. On Tuesday, Juliann Ashcraft, the widow of slain Ariz. firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, described the final text messages that she shared with her husband as he battled the Yarnell Hill Fire. The city of Prescott told her that full family survivor benefits will only be awarded to the families of full-time employees. At the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, Roxanne got out of the truck and introduced herself to the firefighters. 'But he let us know that he loved us and missed us. "And we'll miss them. And she wasglad she brought Billie Grace. She told them she had brought fruit. 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. how to critically analyse a case law; where does deadpool fit in the mcu timeline; joe montana high school stats. But the city of Prescott, where the Hotshots were based, is now claiming he was a seasonal worker, despite him working a 40 hour week year round, and denying Mrs Ashcraft full benefits. 'We're devastated. Click here to share your story. 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. 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We grieve for the city,' he said at a news conference on June 30. It still did not look as catastrophic as it turned out to be, but it was interesting to have that perspective, to know what life was like for him on the fire lines and know what he risked day in and day out.. 'He had some athletic ability in him and he was a go-getter, too. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. They died together. 'As shocked as I was that my husband went to work and never came home, I'm equally shocked in how the city has treated our family since then,' Mrs Ashcraft, whose youngest child is just 18 months old, told CBS News. "That's why I never worried for their safety because they were trained," she said. Andrew Ashcraft's mother, Deborah Pfingston, also spoke with CBS News' Carter Evans about her son. Andrew Ashcraft, 29, was dad to four kids. The elite team, Ashcraft said, were like a family. ", 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. Ariz. firefighters wife: They were heroes, Save on costly dcor trends with these DIY design tricks, Camila Morrone talks Daisy Jones & the Six, Bringing photos to life and other mind-blowing A.I. Prescott, which is more than 30 miles northeast of Yarnell, is one of the only cities in the United States that has a hot shot fire crew, Fraijo said. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads. IE 11 is not supported. The unit was established in 2002, and the city also has 75 suppression team members. Ashcraft did not think it would be this much of an issue. Because even though Billie Grace never got to meet her father, Roxanne wants her to remember him. were killed fighting a wildfire near Yarnell, Ariz. It was zero per cent contained late Sunday. 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