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It was early Friday morning, January 3, 2025 around 6:15 or so, I had been awake for at least an hour and just about to make a cup of coffee when my cell phone rang; which wasn’t alarming because I usually make a call to our son, Bill, and daughter, Bonnie, almost every morning if they are off work before their day gets real busy just to tell them I love them.

I knew Bill wasn’t offshore commercial fishing because we had spoken the night before and I knew it wouldn’t be Bonnie because as a Dare County MedFlight paramedic, she never calls me until after her shift if over typically at 7 a.m. and she’s on her way home … but I was wrong – it was Bonnie. As soon as I saw it was her number, I was surprised especially when she asked, “Mom, what’s going on with Bill’s house?” I responded, “What do you mean, Bonnie, I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Then she said, “It’s on fire, Mom!” I immediately asked, “Is Bill, Ben, Bay and Camille alright?” (Camille is my grandson’s girlfriend who was visiting from out of town.) She did not know for sure, but she said she would find out and call me back. I immediately began to pray, then I called my best friend and prayer partner, Bibber Clark.

Once Bonnie could ascertain that Bill, Ben and the girls were safe, she called me back and told me so and said the house was bad. It is a brick one story ranch style house and a place that my son and the kids love. When Bill became a single dad years ago, it was just becoming available for rent in Wanchese at the time and it was perfect for the three of them. It was an ideal setting for them and with an open floor plan, there was always room for my grandchildren’s friends to sit and talk, eat dinner and talk … and just talk about everything under the sun. Ben and Bay (my granddaughter Elizabeth’s nickname), have been happy in that house, which is owned by a well-known very local “Wancheser,” Timmy Daniels.

This house has been ideal for Bill and the kids and all of our family when we’d gather for Thanksgiving, Christmas and family birthdays. It served as a happy place to be, whether inside for a hearty meal of fresh seafood or prime rib Bill had cooked or sitting outside while he mastered the grill for steaks, hamburgers or hot dogs; gatherings to shuck oysters, revamping an antique shad boat; adding features to one of their trucks, and/or crafting beautiful decoys swans, replica charter/commercial fishing vessels. It has been a home that every friend of my son and grandchildren have spent countless hours sharing their fishing and hunting stories. At other times it’s been an atmosphere of R&R, just chilling listening to music or Ben sometimes playing his guitar. Bay has summed it up many times saying, “The front door is always open.”

While Ben is showing the antique bottles or Native American Indian artifacts and treasures from the Civil War he’s collected since he was a kid, my granddaughter Bay (Elizabeth) is often in the kitchen mixing and baking the most delicious cookies, cupcakes and cakes you ever tasted. The artistry of her icing and unique sweet treats leaves your palate wanting more and her dad, brother and all the guys and girls who hang out with the Browns never long for a yummy dinner and dessert.

Is Bill ever aggravated with the influx of company? That would be an emphatic NO! He loves his children more than breath itself and both Ben and Bay’s friends are considered family … that’s why their friends gravitate there – they love my son, and he loves them back, and their parents too, who have also become good friends.

Yep, many prayers have been spoken to the Lord with Bill, Ben and Bay praying together over the years … for each other, for safe and bountiful fishing trips for their Daddy, for good experiences in each of their lives and with those special to their heart. Tears have been shed too, especially on January 3^rd, it was supposed to be another memorable day in “Timmy’s House” and it was Ben’s 22^nd birthday … that was until an angel drove up into the yard blowing his horn to alert my son’s family that the house was on fire.

Life as they knew it changed as flames were evident by the kind passerby and the surrounding neighbors. The house exterior was changed especially on the roof, but the interior was unrecognizable when all was said and done. When I got down there it was almost 10:30 a.m. as I had been trying to find out if I should bring breakfast foods and coffee or how I could help.  My daughter Bonnie was there with her boyfriend John, a wonderful man and a full time fireman from Kill Devil Hills, Station 14 – thank goodness they were both off at 7 a.m. and on site to help in every way they could. They were family, but they also had that angelic spirit caring for her brother, nephew, niece and Ben’s girlfriend visiting from out of town.

Thank our Heavenly Father, they were able to get out without injury, other than their severely broken hearts. Upon my arrival the firefighters had left to return to their respective stations, but oh my goodness! The property was overrun … Timmy was there and a mass of young adults as well as older men and women bringing food, coffee, hugs, prayers and comfort. It was a swarm of good kind people who were busting chops to help hoist clothing, furniture and any/every item that needed to be determined salvageable, bagged to be washed and placed inside three enclosed trailers for temporary storage. After much of the clothes were bagged, ladies loaded them into their vehicles and headed to the laundromat in Manteo to get the wash done. The village of Wanchese turned out in typical form, loving their neighbor and friends; checking to see if they were okay; assessing their needs and quickly acting on it; consoling the devastation felt by my son and his children.

God bless each and every soul that warned them of the tragedy; who showed up in droves to help, who conveyed the beautiful and prayerful human spirit of caring, loving people.

Bill, Ben, Bay and Camille were surround by angels – seriously. The scene was very sad but they were spared. They were okay, but I have to tell anyone who has not been through a devastation like that … it affects you. My son was proud of “Timmy’s House” and he always treated it with the respect it deserved.

One of Ben’s best friend’s parents provided two enclosed trailers and another close family friend provided another trailer so that everything put in there that day could be evaluated and either destroyed or somehow restored. All the electronics, some of Ben’s decoys were destroyed as the wood he uses to craft his prize-winning decoys, and the inside is totally unrecognizable. Hopefully someday soon “Timmy’s House” will again be the home Bill and the kids occupy again … in their “happy place>’

On behalf of my son and his children, please know that the tears I have seen them shed since that day are of course due to loss of nearly everything, but not just for the loss, rather for the gain of the prayers, goodness and love that has surrounded them at the hardest time of their life. As you may know, commercial fishing has suffered a very disappointing 2024, and now this.

Our family would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the numerous local fire departments, Dare County Sheriff’s Office and Dare County EMS who all responded to the call. We are forever grateful for your passion to serve our beloved community.

An account has been set up as “Brown Family Fire Relief Fund” at Southern Bank and a drive-through fundraiser will be held this Saturday, January 18^th from 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Manteo First Assembly (across from Manteo Hotline or via GPS: 812 Wingina Ave., Manteo, NC 27954).

Because they worry more about each other than any of their own personal losses, Bay’s biggest worry is over Ben’s woodworking tools. He had just won a National Award at Harker’s Island for a swan he had carved and when he searched the remains, he realized he had lost the majority of his tools, circular saw, jig saw, hook and loop sandpaper, band saw, drill bits and all his white cedar – juniper was gone to the wind. I love my family so much and more than anything your prayers will help and as much as my son is a solid provider and respected businessman, but he did not have renters’ insurance.

At 20 years old, Bay is very serious about her baking and thank the Lord, bless her heart, Camille grabbed Bay’s recent birthday gift – a KitchenAid mixer – as they were running outside the morning of the fire.  For now, they are just situated in a temporary Airbnb until the end of March, another blessing that will enable them to stay together as they adjust to their lives now.

Perhaps you all have heard the beautiful song I just heard again the other night; it made me cry.  The lyrics to the song “Angels Among Us” written by Don Goodman and Becky Hobbs, it was first recorded by the celebrated county music band Alabama. When I just heard it again, my mind’s eye saw all the angels who have surrounded my son’s family with love, prayers and comfort in their loss. They were – they are – all angels to the Brown family. Thank you, good people, from the bottom of my heart.

Until next time, God bless you and your family. Hug them tight, thank the Lord they are in your life. Everything that burned can be replaced in time. Please know that our family grieves for the thousands of families who have lost their loved ones, their homes, businesses, pets and everything sentimental in the horrific fires in California. Sometimes life is really hard, but still a blessing each and every day.  f you would like to contact me, please do. My cell/text is 252-202-2058 and my email: giglineheroes@aol.com.  Next week I will resume my writings that support our veterans. If you wish to speak to Patty O’Sullivan, Dare County veteran service officer, please contact her at her office: 252-475-5604; cell: 252-473-7749 or her email: patricia.o’sullivan@darenc.gov. In the meantime, be healthy, safe and happy. I love you and thank our precious Lord for all of you every day. Stay tuned.

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