MAYOR BRETT THOMPSON FROM HIS DAUGHTER, BRYNAE THOMPSON

Brynae Thompson

“We are all alive.” The words I have on repeat spinning through my head like a song on repeat. This is the absolute most important thing.

Thank you for all of the calls, texts, posts, and prayers. We appreciate them more than you know.

My dad, who was trapped in the fire and got burnt, was released yesterday. Him and mom are getting settled in at their new “home”, my grandma’s house.

He has 70% loss of eye sight in one eye and 50% loss in the other. His corneas are damaged. We are praying and hoping it comes back in time.

My parents house is completely gone, and all of their vehicles except two. My house, grandmas’ and Paradise Grain are all okay. I have feeling of guilt that my house survived, but my childhood home, where I have the most memories did not.

It’s a somber feeling when you sit and think about how much stuff you have in your house, school papers, documents, sentimental things, and in just a matter of minutes, poof gone. The memories we made in that house we will forever be held in our minds.

Probably the most horrific thing I’ve had to do was yesterday, when we were going through what’s left of our cattle herd. We started the process of moving cattle to one field that survived the fire. Some of cattle that survived had no quality of life, bad burns, blindness, etc, had to be put down. We’ve lost half our cattle herd so far, with possible more to die. It’s a helpless feeling when you can’t help

animals you love and it absolutely breaks my already shattered heart.

My love and prayers go out to all of our dear friends who have lost all their belongings, pets, and their cattle herds as well. We love you guys, and together we will all build back. God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, even though it feels like a LOT right now.

Thank you to everyone who came and helped us yesterday. Thank you won’t ever be enough. I appreciate everyone of you, and my heart is bursting with gratefulness and thankfulness for you.

Thank you to all who are heading the disaster relief. We have ADM coming with bagged cubes, and pellets for cattle. So please check in with us at Paradise Grain. We also have people bringing hay by the office. We thought this was a central place so please grab what you need.

Thank you to the firefighters who are STILL working hard at putting these horrendous fires out. Thank you for your selflessness to put yourselves in harms way to protect others.

Thank you again to everyone. We are all alive, and that is the main thing we have to keep focused on, and continue to press forward.

Brynae sent a message this morning . . . (Dec 23)

"Thank you so much! His eye sight is improving everyday. Thank you!"