Colorado man finds faith in ashes of home lost to wildfire

The wildfire that tore through Boulder County on December 29 has been quelled, but it took a tremendous toll. By the time it was corralled, thanks to the tireless efforts of firefighter teams, it had eaten up 6,000 acres and about 1,000 homes. The incident has upended the lives of hundreds in the towns of Marshall and Superior, but through the gloom, an unexpected symbol of faith emerged.

A statue of the Blessed Mother survived the inferno practically unscathed. Charred, but fully intact, its image has been circulating on social media. Mary is posed with her head bowed and her arms outstretched towards the ground, almost as if she is gesturing to the rubble around her. The image is a striking juxtaposition between the uncanny serenity of the quiet ruin of a house and firefighters still working to snuff a blaze in the background. 

The statue of Mary is located on the property of Tom and Kat Greany, who lost nearly everything they owned to the Marshall fire. The couple has been displaced and forced to restart their search for a dream home, which had come to an end only nine months earlier, when they finished renovating.

Through all this hardship, however, Tom refuses to lament what’s lost. Instead, he is taking the time to reflect on all that he has. With the fervent faith of the biblical Job, he is recognizing his blessings at a time when his family’s day-to-day life has been completely upended.

In his reflection Tom wrote: 

The Greanys never expected the fire to take their house. Tom paints the picture of a manicured suburban neighborhood, with scarcely any trees to catch on fire. With few burnable objects to fuel the wildfire’s approach, they didn’t think it would ever make it to their front door. The Greanys evacuated with only their laptops and important documents, just to be safe, and left their home as instructed by fire officials. They hadn’t even packed a bag of clothes and necessities. 

The assumption of safety made the wreckage they returned to all the more poignant. Tom describes an unrecognizable hellscape of distorted structure and combusted comforts: 

As though intended to be a source of solace for the Greanys, Mary remained as a sentinel, keeping watch over the scene. At her feet, barely seen under the rubble, lay dozens of heart-shaped stones, mementos the Greanys had picked up on their frequent hikes. Tom explains that the stones remind them that they have consecrated their lives to Jesus through Mary. 

These small stones are important symbols to the Greanys, helping them keep their faith close to their marriage. Now the statue of Mary itself has become a new symbol for the pair. Tom explained: 

The loss of their dream home was tragic, but the Greanys acknowledge that all that they lost was of the temporal world. Noting that they could not take their home with them to the next life, the Greanys expressed their gratitude that no one was harmed in the fire and that they remain together. Most of all they are grateful for their deeply rooted faith. 

Now, Tom considers this tragedy to be a call to follow Christ. Referring to the Gospels, he said: 

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila released a statement offering prayers and condolences to those affected by the Marshall fires. The prelate wrote: 

The archbishop is at work helping the displaced by opening food pantries and coordinating volunteers with the Knights of Columbus. He has arranged for a special collection to be taken at local parishes on the weekend of January 8–9. Additionally, the archdiocese has pledged $250,000 to the fund from the Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal. 

The Archdiocese of Denver has also opened a Marshall Fire Recovery Assistance Fund, which is open to donations online. Visit the link to find out how you can help those displaced by the Colorado wildfires.