By Sheila Phibbs
The Haldimand Press
LOWBANKS—For Blair and Debbie Friday of Lowbanks, October 31, 2020 seemed an ideal time to take care of some routine yard work. Little did they know that, in the span of just a few moments, that ordinary Saturday afternoon would turn into an unforgettable nightmare.
Jennifer Tonner recounts how the events unfolded on behalf of her mom and stepdad. Debbie was burning leaves that had been bagged earlier when Blair suggested finishing the job later due to the increasing wind. The fire was put out and the remainder of the bag was put in the car port where three other bags of leaves sat next to the wood pile. They didn’t realize, however, that an ember had landed on the bag before it was put away. Debbie went to the washroom and came out to discover heavy smoke filling the car port.
Blair and Debbie Friday
The couple immediately called 911 and tried their best to fight the fire. Blair used the fire extinguisher and Debbie kept bringing pails of water to douse the flames. Tonner says, “When the windows exploded, they knew that they could not save the house.”
They were able to get Debbie’s car out, but Blair’s truck was fully engulfed.
Tonner and her daughter arrived to what she describes as “a devastating experience”. She says, “It was overwhelming and hard to believe that it was all gone.”
She noticed that her mom wasn’t even wearing her own shoes, but those of a neighbour as she was barefoot when she rushed out of the house. They found her stepdad with his face burned and completely black from smoke, and his hands badly burned and blistered from trying to fight the fire. Blair was treated on site but when encouraged by the fire chief to go to emergency he simply responded, “I’m not leaving.”
Debbie struggled to comprehend what had happened as Tonner says her mom kept asking them to get her purse from the kitchen. It wasn’t until Tonner took her mother to look in through the burnt exterior that she understood. Tonner says, “That was when the reality set in and she lost it. They have lost everything.”
Among the many household belongings they have lost are the personal mementos and keepsakes that represent precious memories of family and friends. Two especially meaningful collections were lost, including Royal Doulton figurines that belonged to Debbie’s late sister and the Boston Bruins collection dedicated to her late brother. Blair’s father recently passed away as well, adding to the devastation of the fire.
LOWBANKS—Many special keepsakes were lost in the fire, including the Boston Bruins collection dedicated to Debbie Friday’s late brother (pictured) and an owl figurine that was a particular favourite of Debbie’s. —Submitted photos.
Compounding all this is the fact that both Blair and Debbie have battled significant health issues in the past year. After a cancer diagnosis, Blair actually had one kidney removed just three weeks before the fire. Debbie and Tonner were both diagnosed with breast cancer just three weeks apart in 2019 and Debbie spent last Halloween in hospital after developing sepsis during chemotherapy. Tonner jokes, “We are not doing Halloween in 2021.”
At present, the couple is staying with neighbours and Tonner says, “Mom is not ready to leave. She can’t walk away yet. Mom is ‘a mess’ and sees flames every time she closes her eyes. My stepdad is depressed. They are traumatized. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Blair and Debbie Friday start over. When the time comes to rebuild, they will stay with Tonner in Thorold.
To donate, find the GoFundMe at gf.me/u/y62x5k.
