It cost about $320. nonfiction account in GQ by Sean Flynn (and co-produced by Cond Nast Please enter valid email address to continue. Vote here and tell us why, Do not sell or share my personal information. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. members of the company, the sixteen whose characters arent developed in understanding of the best way to fight wildfires, his crew must follow David Kadlubowski/The Arizona Republic, via Associated Press. Maybe, thought Willis, they're just out of radio contact. Nineteen of the crews 20 members deployed their fire shelters a thermal capsule of sorts that is meant to protect them from intense heat, but not direct contact with flames on a brush-choked basin at the foot of a mountain, after leaving a spot up above that the fire had already scorched. 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. The fire that swept over the Granite Mountain Hotshots left Juliann Ashcraft a widow. CBS News has seen paperwork showing Mr Ashcraft did infact earn a full-time salary as a firefighter for the city of Prescott. Is it time Harry & Meghan accept Clarkson's apology and move on? They are asking the court to force the city to retroactively include their husbands on the states retirement system for public safety employees, which would entitle them and their children to health insurance, increased life insurance payments and the mens salaries. They fought fires together. "Yarnell," her daughter-in-law replied. A municipal firefighter, in the common use of that term, is not a wildland firefighter: Its the red truck guy, Mr. Paladini told the board, composed of four members, including two members of the Prescott Fire Department, whose Wildland Division employed the fallen firefighters, and the citys mayor, Marlin Kuykendall. Juliann Ashcraft, an LDS wife and mother, appeared on the "Today" show Tuesday morning to discuss her husband, who's been hailed as a hero, two days after learning of his death. out can be far more revealing than what they choose to include. He was the only one of the 13 Hotshots denied full benefits who worked a 40 hour week through out the year. I feel like we need to do something for these guys, she said. But the smoke was so thick crews could only guess at where to drop their loads. is the sole survivor. If you hear anything please let me know. Still dressed in his fire gear and reeking of smoke, he had wrapped Colleen in a bear hug and told her not to worry. Prescott stood united; millions of dollars in donations poured in for the surviving families to help pay for things like groceries, mortgages and counseling. He was on a fire in Yarnell, a small town about 30 miles to the south, but there hadn't been a cause for concern. United States; nothing at all suggests that Prescott may have been as the story, no prexisting idea or self-determined material that 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. from the community, conceal and reflect other sorts of nostalgiaa Roxanne buried Billy in the veterans sections of a cemetery in Marana, with full military honors, not far from where they lived. 'Now I have four kids and myself, and I don't know what I'm going to do. 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. "I think I will be down there for a while on this one," 29-year-old Ashcraft had told his wife via text. Only the Brave about Prescotts point of pride that the Granite ", "I want to be a fire man," he wrote. They took Billie Grace with them. It was the deadliest wildfire ever in Arizona;19 men on the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew out of Prescott were killed. Anyone can read what you share. Ashcraft's widow, Juliann Ashcraft, who has been the most prominent family member fighting to win full benefits for the families of the seasonal Hotshots, didn't testify at the hearing, but. They died together - doing what they loved.'. 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. Her mother doesn't hold back though. emphasis on Eric and Brendans personal lives. Juliann Ashcraft told Evans about her loss, saying of her husband: "You know there are moments when I think of him and I smile because I love him so much and then I feel guilty for smiling,. Your Daddy Billy came to visit you? Harry asked. 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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. She told the Today show how, apart from his family, fighting fires with the Granite Mountain Hotshots was his life. Andrew Ashcraft, 29, seen here with his wife, Juliann Ashcraft, was one of 19 elite "hotshot" firefighters killed in an Arizona wildfire this week. Roxanne still tells Billie Grace stories about her father, and Billie Grace tells them to Harry. Roxanne picked up Billie Grace and showed it to her. (CBS News) PRESCOTT, Ariz. -- Five weeks ago, 19 men were killed fighting a wildfire near Yarnell, Ariz. 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. Juliann Ashcraft insists that her husband was a full-time employee; she has hired a lawyer and is pondering a lawsuit over the issue, KPHO reports. She has anew baby brother, Owen. He often asks Roxanne, What do you think Billy would want?. They were ok but no way out. large, that are inseparable from the real-life story that it is telling. She wants Billie Grace to meet people who did the work her father did. Hot shot crews are elite firefighters who often hike for miles into the wilderness with chain saws and backpacks filled with heavy gear to build lines of protection between people and fires. The 4-1 vote came at the same time that an army of Hotshots from around the West was returning to the area to battle a fire near Slide Rock State Park less than 100 miles from where their 19 Granite Mountain colleagues died. Then in the next breath he added, "I want to be Batman.". already cost, according to several people involved in these discussions, Jan. Andrew Ashcraft's widow wept in the audience as the Prescott, Ariz., retirement board decided her family deserved full-time survivor payments. And she wasglad she brought Billie Grace. IE 11 is not supported. the company died, on June 30, 2013, while fighting a wildfire, and Donut Yet as I women who lost their husbands in the disaster. 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. All 19 Hotshot families will receive worker's compensation and a one-off federal payment of $328,000. Andrew Ashcraft, pictured left, was one of the 19 firefighters who died. 'We grieve for the family. None of them answered all of her questions. The unfamiliar truck pulled up to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, where crews were stopping to pick up supplies on their way to the Sawmill Fire. ", "I make my best decisions on my knees, and that's where I made this one," Ward said. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. Reach Bland at karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8614. Firefighters battling a blaze in Yarnell, Ariz., last year. of ordinary family life that contrasts with Erics own. 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.'. That afternoon Juliann texted to report that it was raining at their house in nearby Prescott. This day, so far, had been different. Juliann Ashcraft, 28, whose 29-year-old husband, Andrew, was among the Granite Mountain Hotshots members killed during the June 30 blaze, said she will receive workers' compensation and a. rich in wry humor and lived-in wisdom), vouches for them to the mayor Because the town of Prescott deemed some of its firefighters to be temporary or seasonal, those victims families were denied the benefits that were being telling residents and municipal workers that taxes might need to go up 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. Brave, released last Friday, is among the more noteworthy recent Ad Choices, The Familial Furies of Noah Baumbachs The Meyerowitz Stories, Harvey Weinstein and the Illusion of the Vulgar But Passionate Old-Hollywood Studio Boss, The Wildfires Ravaging Northern California. The fire had stretched out over more than 40,000 acres. For the first time, the danger seemed too close. ", 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. "too bad lunch was an MRE," the text concluded. Whats the point of living a life if you arent happy?. "We could really use some rain over here," he replied. If State Highway 83 had been open, it would have taken an hour and a half or so. They were heroes in our home, they were heroes in our community," she said. The City of Prescott now claims he was a seasonal worker, despite him . influence.). Ashcraft's widow, Juliann Ashcraft, who has been the most prominent family member fighting to win full benefits for the families of the seasonal Hotshots, didn't testify at the hearing, but she was present for the vote and could be seen crying as the board sided with her, the local Prescott ENews website reported. 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. stirring dramatization, directed by Joseph Kosinski, based on a That fire had threatened her own parents' home nearby. Juliann Ashcraft, 28, said she will receive workers' compensations and a one-time federal payment of $328,000 in the death of her 29-year-old husband Andrew, who was among the Granite Mountain . She would whisper stories to Billie Grace about her daddy long before she could possibly understand. He'd been just 4 years old when he literally burst into her life. A team of investigators assembled by the forestry division, as well as the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health, has released reports on the deaths, though neither explains why the men abandoned the safety of the black, as burned areas in the wilderness are known, for the dangers of green land. Ashcraft twice. Nineteen American flags were brought to the scene, one to be draped over each man's body. PRESCOTT, Ariz. Smoke drifted from the fire that tore through the chaparral brush on nearby mountains after the flames had claimed the lives of 19 firefighters almost a year ago, immersing this tight community in heartache. Nothing of the sort is even hinted at in Only the Brave. The movie has When Roxanne introduced herself to the firefighters at the station, she told them that her husband had been one of the 19 hotshots killed in the Yarnell fire. Helicopters circled the area in an attempt to douse the flames. The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. wildfire-fighting outfit in Prescott, Arizona, thats relegated to Type Just days after the men's deaths, Mrs Ashcraft revealed the last conversation she had with her husband - and her fears when he never responded to her text messages. Only six of the 19 firefighters are entitled to full-time benefits, the city claims. the firefighters. It had been almost four years since her husband, wildland firefighter Billy Warneke, was killed by a raging blaze in Yarnell. Dozens of framed pictures of a mustached man with his family and comrades cover the room . "They never think it will happen to them.. But Mrs Ashcraft, still mourning the loss of her 29-year-old hero, is desperate for help, as the costs associated with bringing up four children mount. about party identification or political campaignsat least as crucial Juliann Ashcraft, a widow of a Granite Mountain Hotshot, said she left Prescott, Ariz., to spare her children the discomfort of whispers and glares. Whats With that, their exchanges stopped. complete the jobs that they have started. largeas anything in the movie. In short, Only the Brave comes off as Watch: Hotshots training unveiled in 60 Minutes report. The blaze had ignited two days earlier with a lightning strike along the Date Creek Mountains above Yarnell. "No, honey," she said gently. She worried how she would react. 'He was the most amazing man,' she said. 'I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is.'. Juliann Ashcraft decided to leave Prescott altogether to spare her four children the discomfort of whispers and glares. 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. She tells peopleRoxanne was a lot like that as a child. 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. That's why he did what he did, because he want to protect the community where he lived. peoplewhite peoplego out of their way to help each other. You gotta be very physically fit, and you gotta like it, gotta like the hard work.'. By 9:30 a.m., the Hotshots had reached their destination on the fire's south end, near the Glen Ilah subdivision, about a quarter mile from Yarnell. during previous hearings where benefits were awarded to three other Market data provided by Factset. complained that she was being denied benefits; soon others did so, too. Roxanne told them about the non-profit group. IE 11 is not supported. City officials declined multiple requests for an interview, but Monday they sent a statement. Helicopters had been unable to reach the highly-trained men as they fought the flames in Yarnell and they could not be saved by their emergency shelters - tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames and heat. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Billie Grace is headstrong and independent. He insisted on tucking the children in each night and leading them in their prayers. Roxanne would take her daughter to Billys grave with flowers and his dog. Not wanting to break down in front of her children, Juliann rushed off to her bedroom, while a friend who happened to be there gathered the children in prayer. . Teddy bears, homemade banners, flower arrangements and fire department T-shirts from all over the country bake in the brutal summer sun. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "Now I have four kids and myself, and I don't know what I'm going to do.". Our kids will remember them as heroes as well.. When he is hired as a firefighter, the other members of Lawton even joked with some new residents watching the flames from their front yards. ', Engulfed: 19 firefighters died as the wildfire spread near the Arizona town of Yarnell, Beneitone said athletic prowess was a must for the Hotshots. Nineteen men, members of an elite "Hotshot" team, died Sunday battling the out-of-control wildfire Sunday outside Yarnell, Ariz. Mr Ashcraft, like his colleagues, was protecting the people of Yarnell when he died, tragically leaving his young family without a husband, father or income. casually, just a few minutes click-around) at news about the Hotshots She took in a breath and slowly let it out. They remove brush, trees and anything that might burn in the direction of homes and cities. Marsh and Willis had worked together for years, and were close friends as well as colleagues. They said it responded to the fire unthinkingly and incompetently, failing to stop it when it was still small, and then scrambling to catch it just as a storm tore through the area on June 30, 2013, fanning the flames that eventually trapped the Hotshots. For more, click here or follow on Facebook. 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. Soon, Lawton's casual mood turned dark when a neighbor reported that town evacuations were underway. "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.'". A couple of firefighters approached the truck, curious how a civilian vehicle had gotten past the roadblocks. Firefighter Joe Thurston. The criteria were the same as those applied The elite team, Ashcraft said, were like a family. At the time, a weather station 6 miles away showed winds coming from the southwest at 10 mph. Each man's family prayed that their son-husband-brother had been the lucky one. 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