'He had some athletic ability in him and he was a go-getter, too. They are happy. Not only had it been the deadliest wildfire ever in Arizona, it was one of the worst in the United States. "They all laid out there that night.". They fought fires together. He left behind two young sons. "And we'll miss them. / CBS News. Bryan Kohberger Fights Bids to Lift Gag Order By Parties Seeking New Details About Murder Investigation . Juliann Ashcraft, the widow of fallen firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, one of 19 men who sacrificed his life battling a wildfire Sunday outside of Yarnell, Ariz., discussed the final text messages and photos she shared with her husband hours before he died. He saved a lot of homes that people do go home to, but he'll never come home to ours. She never took her eyes off his casket until it was lowered into the ground. The highly-skilled team was overtaken by a fast-moving blaze stoked by hot winds on Sunday. Juliann Ashcraft is as sure of that as she is sure an outpouring of support from across the country saved her life when her husband died two years ago. She tells peopleRoxanne was a lot like that as a child. "That's why I never worried for their safety because they were trained," she said. She and Billy used to go to nearby Patagonia often, to hike and fish, taking State Highway 83. Stuart Johnson, Deseret News. They have to run 1.5 miles in 10 minutes and 35 seconds, complete 40 sit-ups in 60 seconds, 25 push-ups in 60 seconds, and seven pull-ups. These men worked together," she said. We grieve for the department. Mr Ashcraft also sent his wife a picture of their view of the smoke and flames from his team's lunch spot on Sunday, and Juliann said that she was not particularly concerned when she saw it. ", Carter added on "CTM": "Juliann told me she still has a lot of support around her right now. Southwest incident team leader Clay Templin said the team and its commanders were following safety protocols, but it appears the fire's erratic nature simply overwhelmed them. News: Juliann Ashcraft, pictured right, learned of her husband's death while watching the news, Smiles: The loving couple had four children together, and Mrs Ashcraft is battling to kept afloat as bills mount, Doting dad: Ashcraft, pictured, with two of his four kids, was a hero, 'They died heroes,' she told azcentral.com as she wept. It was unclear exactly how the crew became trapped. She says her husband and his fellow firefighters "loved what they did" and shares how she and . 'By the time they got there, it was moving very quickly,' he said. Juliann Ashcraft is looking forward to July 1, the day after the one-year anniversary of the wildfire disaster that took the lives of her husband Andrew and 18 other members of the Granite. While her husband was on a break during the early stages. The fire has also destroyed an estimated 200 homes, Morrison said. I tell them how much he loves them and that he's with them. "Now I have four kids and myself, and I don't know what I'm going to do.". 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads. Now the fire had shut down that route. . 'That's what it takes. "I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting. Overwhelmed with gratitude for the strangers who sent letters and cards and offered support, Ashcraft converted a 40-foot Greyhound bus into a home on wheels and hit the road with her . But being the wife of a firefighter is like becoming part of a family. ', Heartbroken: Juliann Ashcraft wept as she paid tribute to her fallen husband Andrew on the Today show, Final moments: Mrs Ashcraft shared the final image Andrew Ashcraft texted her before the 19 firefighters were killed by the flames. Chris MacKenzie joined the Forest Service in 2004 and had been in the Prescott Fire Department for two years. They died together - doing what they loved.'. It was upgraded from a Type 2 fire to Type 1, the most complex. The best result we found for your search is Juliann Ashcraft age 60s in Newport, WA. 'And we'll miss them. Juliann is related to Terry C Ashcraft and Olive Ellen Ashcraft as well as 3 additional people. In love: Juliann, right, is pictured with Andrew Ashcraft, left, in happier times, Heartbreaking: Not only was Juliann Ashcraft, pictured, devastated to lose her husband, she is now facing raising their four children without the benefits she is entitled to, In a statement to CBS News, Prescott officials said the city had 'fully complied with all of the laws and employment polices that direct survivor benefits.'. The optimal number of days a home needs to be on the market to get the best 'Beautiful' daughter, 20, collapses and dies suddenly in her heartbroken father's arms despite his efforts ISIS fanatic jailed over the gruesome beheading of two Scandinavian women hikers in Morocco that shocked the Shamima Begum and other British women who joined Islamic State and are being held in Syria will 'ultimately' An everyday tale of prejudiced folk: Archers listeners are accused of 'racism' for failing to tell men with Health scare for down there! Through my experience, I have learned life is a gift. Juliann Ashcraft was aware that her husband, Andrew, had a dangerous job. Ashcraft had only been with the Hotshots for a few years, as we can surmise from Juliann Ashcraft's comments about her husband's decorated career as an elite firefighter. Owen, born in March, is a content baby. A crew of 600 firefighters and related personnel had been assigned to it. The tragedy is the deadliest single incident for firefighters since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, where as many as 340 crew members lost their lives, officials said. Juliann Ashcraft, widow of Andrew Ashcraft, who was one of the 19 firefighters who died while battling the Arizona wildfire on Sunday, spoke to "Today" about the final text messages she exchanged with her husband. The elite team, Ashcraft said, were like a family. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Red Cross has opened two shelters in the area - at Yavapai College in Prescott and at the Wickenburg High School gym. Krista Carter's husband, Travis, was a father of two. Less then two days after Andrew Ashcraft's life was taken, Juliann Ashcraft spoke about her husband and the other members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew. Blue Ridge had helped battle the blaze that killed Billy and the hotshot crew. 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She knew it when she got a text message, along with a picture from her husband on the fire line. In 2015, Roxanne had joinedJuliann Ashcraft, whose husband, Andrew, also was killed in the Yarnell Hill Fire, and Andrews mother, Deborah Pfingston, to formthe Wildland Firefighter Guardian Institute, a non-profit advocacy group. They fought fires together. We love them.'. Harry wants to raise Billie Grace the way her father would have. I feel like we need to do something for these guys, she said. She told the Today show how, apart from his family, fighting fires with the Granite Mountain Hotshots was his life. 'I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is.'. Yet there she stood, her loss all too real. Our kids will remember them as heroes as well.. In 2015, Roxanne had joined Juliann Ashcraft, whose husband, Andrew, also was killed in the Yarnell Hill Fire, and Andrew's mother, Deborah Pfingston, to form the Wildland Firefighter. Yet here she was. Billie Grace grinned. He often asks Roxanne, What do you think Billy would want?. 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. He had followed in the footsteps of his father, Mike MacKenzie (left), who was once the fire captain of Moreno Valley, California, Tragedy: Mackenzie, pictured left and right, died as the men tried to climb into emergency shelters, Killed: Travis Turbyfill, pictured with his family, also died with his team on the mountainside, Fallen: Scott Norris, pictured, was one of the 19 victims, Disbelief: David Turbyfill is comforted by his wife Shari as he mourns his son Travis Turbyfill on Monday, 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.'. Shortly after the tragedy, Inside Edition brought together eight of the widows. July 2, 2013, 3:05 PM. The fire had crept close to an area Roxanne knew well. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Jan Brewer said in a statement. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. I wanted to take her so she could have a positive outlook on fire instead of a negative one, Roxanne said. Not this time. 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. Top 3 Results for Juliann Ashcraft. 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. Were there REALLY not enough tests when Matt Hancock 'had to reject Chris Whitty's advice on care home Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' While Juliann is devastated by what happened to her husband she knows that he died doing what he loved saving lives. His wife says he always thought of others before himself. Outside of the love he shared for his family members, hotshot firefighting was his life, his wife said. So Roxanne still follows the progress of fires online, like she used to when Billy was on the job. Nineteen firefighters were killed, Proud: Kevin Woyjeck, right, is pictured with his father, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. ', Of his team, she added: 'They loved what they did. juliann ashcraft new husband. The firefighting team was bigger than life, she said. It turns out, however, their families may not receive the same compensation. . As the bodies of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were recovered, it emerged that the team's 20th member survived as he was moving the crew's truck when the flames overcame his comrades. The crew killed in the blaze had worked on other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona, Fraijo said. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. It didnt come. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Click here to share your story. 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. It was zero per cent contained late Sunday. 'But he let us know that he loved us and missed us. As they left the fire station, Roxanne washappy they made the trip. 'Problem solving, teamwork, ability to make decisions in a stressful environment and being nice are the attributes of our crewmembers,' its website read. Claire and Robert Caldwell were newlyweds. Eighteen of the 19 firefighters who lost their lives were part of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite firefighting team from Prescott, Arizona. The city of Prescott now claims he was a seasonal worker, despite him . Firefighter Sean Misner never met his baby boy, Sean, Jr., nor did firefighter Anthony Rose, who left behind a daughter, Willow. I saw that it kept growing, Roxanne said. They reach out to firefighters and families who need support. 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. Heartbroken: Juliann Ashcraft, cries alongside her father Tom Ashcraft outside of the Granite Mountain Hotshot fire station in Prescott on Monday July 1, Struggle: Juliann Ashcraft, left, will only get a one-off payment of $328,000 and workers' compensation, Missed: She had been married to Andrew Ashcraft, pictured, for seven years and they have four children, Deaths: The tragic June 30 deaths were the most reported from one firefighting unit since 9/11. Watch her comments below. 'The best person I know. Another board member, Wade Ward of the Prescott Fire Department, said the question was difficult because "everything that we've gone through and continue to go through is unprecedented. john melendez tonight show salary She noticed that everybody who used to work with her father wore green pants. He was one of 19 firefighters who died a year ago in the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona. 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. 'Quite literally, my bills are being paid by the good people of the world who are giving donations, because the city of Prescott isn't doing anything for us,' she told the TV station. Reach Bland at karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8614. juliann ashcraft new husband; By . Play it now! 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. It was everything to him. They died together. The area has not suffered a fire in 40 years. Their focus is wildland firefighter safety:"We will champion firefighter safety through independent investigations, education and real life support for firefighter, family and the fire community.". In the end, the house Billy had dreamed of, the one he promised Roxanne, was built by firefighters, friends and neighbors, and complete strangers who donated money, time, labor and supplies. He was a father of four young children. It was someone from Blue Ridge who had picked up the crew's lookout, the only survivor. She wants Billie Grace to meet people who did the work her father did. Inside Edition Investigates as Over 2,000 ER Visits in Last Decade Involved Them, Ohio Train Derailment: EPA Cracks Down on Hazardous Waste Removal as Federal Agents Go Door to Door, Bryan Kohberger Fights Bids to Lift Gag Order By Parties Seeking New Details About Murder Investigation, Honduran Man Dies From Injuries Sustained After Falling From the US-Mexico Border Barrier, Shovel, Bloody Rope Found in Car That Belonged to Ex of Teacher Found Slain in Shallow Grave: Prosecutor. Juliann said she sent her husband a photo of their four children, all under 6, swimming. With their deaths, the department lost 20 per cent of its members. ", Andrew Ashcraft and his fellow Hotshots, Juliann Ashcraft said, should be remembered as heroes: "I was married and will be married to a good man. "And we'll. She wants her to see her mother supporting the works they do, in honor of Billy. CBS News obtained paperwork that shows Ashcraft did earn a full-time salary. When do the clocks change in 2023? You gotta be very physically fit, and you gotta like it, gotta like the hard work.'. Billie Grace is 3, hardly ever still and the only girl in her Tiny Ninja class. On Tuesday, Juliann Ashcraft, the widow of slain Ariz. firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, described the final text messages that she shared with her husband as he battled the Yarnell Hill Fire. Ashcraft's plans may soon include a lawsuit against the city. ', Engulfed: 19 firefighters died as the wildfire spread near the Arizona town of Yarnell, Beneitone said athletic prowess was a must for the Hotshots. 'As shocked as I was that my husband went to work and never came home, I'm equally shocked in how the city has treated our family since then,' Mrs Ashcraft, whose youngest child is just 18 months old, told CBS News. As much as he loved his crew, I know in some way he must have thought of My God, I can't be leaving my family, she said. Dry grass near the communities of Yarnell and Glen Isla fed the fast-moving blaze. He responded that he wished for that too. "They were the best of the best.". The local firefighters union said of the 13 hotshots denied full benefits, Andrew Ashcraft was the only one to work 40 hours a week year round. "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.'". That killed Billy and the hotshot crew, too the hotshot crew what he loved saving lives &. Loved. ' want to be able to beat back the anxiety she! Service in 2004 and had been in the blaze that killed Billy and the only survivor the,. State Highway 83 'm going to be physically active wife says he always thought of others before.! From her husband and his fellow firefighters & quot ; and shares how she and Billy used to go nearby. Text message, along with a picture from her husband was on a break during early. 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