Greg Burghardt

Take a look around. Look what’s hanging on your walls. Picture that graduation
photo on your desk. Snuggle into that comfortable blanket you sleep with
every night.

Never underestimate how valuable these things truly are — because, in a blink of an eye, everything you own could be gone.

A fire destroyed the house at 1015 S. Main St. Tuesday evening. I was
one of the five people who lived there. No one was hurt in the fire, but
everything we owned is now charcoal.

The fire started in the living room as one of my roommates was lacquering
a table. One layer of lacquer was intact, but as they applied the second
layer, the propane fumes mixed with the lacquer fumes.

Everything on the main floor is gone. The entire living room resembles
a burnt fire pit. Objects that once decorated our living room are hardly
recognizable. The television is a melted pile of ash and plastic. The couches
are nothing but wire frames, and the carpet that once covered our floor is
now a mound of ash. My roommates, whose bedrooms were on the first floor,
lost everything. They have no clothes, no money and no possessions.

The basement was spared from the flames, but it wasn’t protected from
the thousands of gallons of water the firefighters used to put the fire out.
Everything is soaked, meaning that nothing is salvageable. Everything that
was stored downstairs is now nonexistent.     

The upper floor, where my bedroom was located, suffered severe heat and
smoke damage. The clothes we had are ruined. Our beds, books, shoes and anything
else imaginable is now a memory. My high school diploma and other personal
memories didn’t make it. We lost so many things, that it would be impossible
to even begin mentioning them all.    

One of the hardest parts of dealing with this tragedy is we have to move
on. Classes are not going to stop because our house burned down. It is just
nearly impossible to continue with a college lifestyle when you don’t even
have a place to live or clothes to wear.

I would like to thank our friends who have been there for us every minute
since the fire started. If it weren’t for you and your consideration, we
wouldn’t know where to turn. Thanks to the university and those involved.
Thanks for the meal plan, the text books, the kind words and your prayers.

For those of you who are interested in helping, we are starting a donation
collection that will be split among the five of us. Donations can be sent
to Herb Woerpel at 1825 S. Crawford Road. Any donation will be greatly appreciated.
We really need your support.  

Tonight, when you are watching television and sitting in your comfortable
home, do me a favor. Take a moment and appreciate everything you have. Take
a second and be thankful that everything you’ve worked so hard for is still
there. Pause and truly enjoy that computer you are surfing the net with;
enjoy the designer clothes you are wearing; and appreciate everything that
surrounds you.

In an instant, it could all be a memory.

Herb Woerpel is a staff writer. He can be reached for comment at  woerp1hj@cmich.edu.

E-mail the author: Herb Woerpel