"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.'". Her own wedding anniversary is just a few weeks away.". 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. But there was no question her husband died doing something he loved, doing whatever he had to help others. Others were found outside them. the house Billy had dreamed of, the one he promised Roxanne, was built by firefighters, friends and neighbors, and complete strangers, They focus on safety for wildland firefighters, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Read:Couple's Wedding Forced to Relocate After Chapel Is Destroyed in Deadly Wildfire. You gotta be very physically fit, and you gotta like it, gotta like the hard work.'. She took in a breath and slowly let it out. "They lived together, they fought fires together, and they died together doing what they loved.". Final moments: Mrs Ashcraft shared the final image Andrew Ashcraft texted her before the 19 firefighters were killed by the flames, An honorary flagpole is shown at the site where the 19 firefighters died, The devastation has been described as a 'moonscape' after an inferno so intense that only the metal part of one chain saw was found, 'It still did not look as catastrophic as it turned out to be,' she said. But the city is refusing to pay Mrs Ashcraft her husband's lifetime salary and health benefits, which together are worth millions, because it insists he was among 13 of the squad who were seasonal employees rather than full-timers. 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. 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. Yet there she stood, her loss all too real. '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. 6 Amazon travel essentials for your next getaway, starting at $12. Juliann Ashcraft, wife of Granite Mountain Hotshot Andrew Ashcraft, gave a beautiful talk about her family's gratitude journey after Andrew's death. Because of the dangers of the job, he would always tell us that he loved us. They died together - doing what they loved.'. Juliann Ashcraft, widow of Andrew Ashcraft, one of the 19 fallen firefighters from the Yarnell Hill Fire, was one of the most outspoken proponents arguing that the 13 seasonal members of the. But the city of Prescott, where the Hotshots were based, is now claiming he was a seasonal worker, despite him working a 40 hour week year round, and denying Mrs Ashcraft full benefits. Prescott High School physical education teacher and coach Lou Beneitone taught many of the Hotshots, and remembered Ashcraft as a fitness-oriented student. I just kept texting him saying 'You need to tell me you need to tell me you are OK.' I couldnt believe it, cause I kept thinking, 'You wouldn't leave me,' she said. She would whisper stories to Billie Grace about her daddy long before she could possibly understand. To learn more about Only The Brave and how you can support the wildland firefighter communities through the Granite Mountain Fund, click here. were killed fighting a wildfire near Yarnell, Ariz. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The crew killed in the blaze had worked on other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona, Fraijo said. I dreamed of Daddy Billy.. john melendez tonight show salary 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, Fallen firefighter's mom talks son's death, finals moments, New FDA-approved drug can slow vision loss, Lawsuits claim dental device wrecked teeth, Murdaugh trial heads into closing arguments, Fire shelters fail to protect elite fire crew from Ariz. blaze, Shock over loss of 19 Ariz. firefighters in wildfire, A look at deadly U.S. fire crew incidents, How you can help victims of the Yarnell Hill fire. In an. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Do you or a loved one work for a Hotshot crew? . 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 'I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is.'. These are people who risk their own lives every day," Roxanne said. His grandmother told the Long Beach Press Telegram that Kevin, originally from Seal Beach, California, had been a firefighter for around four years. Juliann Ashcraft was aware that her husband, Andrew, had a dangerous job. The property offer sweet spot! 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. Loss: Kevin Woyjeck, left, and Wade Parker, right, were among the firefighters who lost their lives on Sunday as they tried to battle a massive wildfire in Yarnell Hill, Arizona. Last year, Deborah, who lives in Prescott, delivered fresh fruit and beef jerky to crews working on the Tenderfoot Fire in Yarnell. Mike Krumboltz. That they were loved. 'That's what it takes. Her husband Andrew was 29 years old. ", 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, because I'm still in this shock. "They all laid out there that night.". 'And we'll miss them. US firms waiting in the wings read to pump 'billions Parents' fury as schools STILL won't tell them if they are closed tomorrow as teacher strikes continue. Confused: Juliann Ashcraft, pictured, is fighting with the city of Prescott for the benefits she is being denied, Children: Mrs Ashcraft, pictured, was left to raise her four children alone. We love them.'. Now Roxanne was headed to the Sonoita-Elgin Fire District station, near the first fire she had confronted since then. "I want to be able to just be mourning my husband, be supporting my children, be figuring out what our new normal is," she said. Some mornings she will come into the kitchen and stretch dramatically. As they unloaded the truck, Roxanne could smell the fire. Claire and Robert Caldwell were newlyweds. The heartbroken wife of Andrew Ashcraft, a father-of-four who was killed by the Arizona wildfire with 18 of his firefighting comrades on Sunday, has revealed their last conversation - and her fears when he never responded to her messages. While Juliann is devastated by what happened to her husband she knows that he died doing what he loved saving lives. ", 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. Ashcraft's plans may soon include a lawsuit against the city. Another, Roxanne Warneke, who lives just outside Tucson, has. The elite team, Ashcraft said, were like a family. Ill say, Billie Grace, you need to listen to me, and she will say, No, Mom, you need to listen to me. It is hard for Roxanne not to laugh. I wanted to take her so she could have a positive outlook on fire instead of a negative one, Roxanne said. He added that the firefighters had to deploy the emergency shelters when 'something drastic' occurred. After a two-day hearing, the retirement board of the city of Prescott voted to award the enhanced benefits to the family of Andrew Ashcraft, who perished last June along with 12 other seasonal or part-time members and six full-time members of the elite Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew in the largest loss of firefighters' lives since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Yes, Roxanne told her. - photo by Stuart Johnson, Deseret News It cost about $320. Top nutrition scientist says you should drink as many varieties as possible 'because it's good for your gut', Andrew Ashcraft, 29, died beside 18 of his 'Hotshot' comrades on June 30, He left behind his young wife, Juliann, and their four children, the youngest of whom is 18 months, Five weeks after the tragedy, Mrs Ashcraft has been denied the full lifetime benefits she was relying on to raise the couple's children, City of Prescott claims the Hotshot was one of 13 firefighters who were 'seasonal' workers, They say she is therefore only entitled to worker's compensation and a one off payment of $328,000, But Mr Ashcraft actually worked 40 hours a week all year round. When they were found on Sunday, all 19 shelters were deployed but some of the men's bodies were inside their individual shelters, while others were outside - indicating just how suddenly they were overcome by the flames. She added: "They know that dad has died, but I think like much like an action figure comes back to life, I think that is their hope. advancements, How to kick those late-night food cravings, 6 Amazon travel favorites for your next big getaway, TODAY walking group friends meet in person for first time. The deaths mean that Prescott has lost a staggering 20 per cent of its department. . They fought fires together. Asked what probably went through his mind when he pulled out his fire shelter, Juliann Ashcraft said: "I think probably in that last moment, we have four babies. Read more here. But the city insists Ashcraft and 12 others were seasonal employees and are therefore not entitled to the lifetime salaries and health benefits -- worth millions -- given to the six full-time Hotshots. Because shewants her daughter to respect fire, to be mindful of it, but not to be afraid. Billie Grace grinned. Juliann met with families of two Beartown firefighters from Michigan who were killed and another half dozen who were injured in an accident on their way to the Box Canyon wildfire in Utah last summer. IE 11 is not supported. Fire shelters fail to protect elite fire crew from Ariz. blazeShock over loss of 19 Ariz. firefighters in wildfireLightning sparked deadly Arizona fireA look at deadly U.S. fire crew incidents, CBS News' Carter Evans, who spoke with Juliann Ashcraft, reported on "CBS This Morning": "When I spoke with Juliannshe had many questions. Prince Harry boasts about finding 'freedom and happiness' and jokes about reincarnation in unseen TV Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! Stuart Johnson, Deseret News. They have also lived in Elk, WA and Chattaroy, WA. The area has not suffered a fire in 40 years. The unit was established in 2002, and the city also has 75 suppression team members. It turns out that, just a few weeks after the tragedy, one widow, More than once, Mr. Kuykendall had argued against extending benefits for Ms. Ashcraft and her children, telling The Associated Press last fall that it was very obvious she was motivated by greed. Harry loaded 20 cases of oranges and 16 bags of apples, about 350 pounds in all, onto a cart and then into their truck. 'Our entire crew was lost,' Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo told reporters. 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. That they are missed and that they're still going to live on in our lives and in the lives of our kids. She had read reports online that firefighters had been killed, but didn't know for sure her husband was a victim until authorities showed up at her front door. ", Juliann Ashcraft always knew her husband had a dangerous job fighting wildfires, but he was one of the elite -- a Granite Mountain Hotshot. Nineteen men, members of an elite "Hotshot" team, died Sunday battling the out-of-control wildfire Sunday outside Yarnell, Ariz. These men lived together. "I vote yes.". / CBS News. Published: 14:36, 6 August 2013 | Updated: 22:49, 6 August 2013. In memory of 19 fire fighters, it said. The importance of preparing emotionally for retirement, Supreme Court hears arguments in student loan case. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Among the victims was Billy Warneke, a Marine Corps veteran who served a tour in Iraq and who was expecting his first child with his wife Roxanne this December, family told The Press Enterprise. The great betrayal: How journalist Isabel Oakeshott leaked Matt Hancock's WhatsApps after they worked together on his book for a year, Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when, Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health Secretary's Covid WhatsApp messages, 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' Nineteen firefighters were killed, Proud: Kevin Woyjeck, right, is pictured with his father, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Juliann Ashcraft said she learned that her husband, Andrew, 29, was among the dead by watching the news with her four children. You could pretty much see, from young freshman all the way, he was going to be physically active. CBS News has seen paperwork showing Mr Ashcraft did infact earn a full-time salary as a firefighter for the city of Prescott. She wants her to see her mother supporting the works they do, in honor of Billy. Owen, born in March, is a content baby. But the Yarnell Hill fire was different. I looked at my four children and thought, Oh man, I was able to grow up with a daddy and they wont. My heart breaks for them every day, said his widow.Marcina Thurston had been with her husband, Joe, since their sophomore year in high school. Your Daddy Billy came to visit you? Harry asked. 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. 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. Ms. Ashcraft said Thursday that not . But she's been denied the lifetime benefits she was counting on to raise her four children, the youngest of whom is 18 months old. Thats for your daddy, she told her. Roxanne Warneke, riding shotgun, rolled down her window. Juliann is related to Terry C Ashcraft and Olive Ellen Ashcraft as well as 3 additional people. (CBS News) Among the 19 firefighters killed Sunday in Arizona was 29-year-old Andrew Ashcraft. 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. With the detour, it was more than two hours before they got there. You gotta be very physically fit, and you gotta like it, gotta like the hard work.'. The incident hits close to home for Juliann Ashcraft whose husband was killed in 2013. ', Of his team, she added: 'They loved what they did. 'And we'll miss them. Juliann Ashcraft sobbed as she recounted the bravery of her beloved husband Andrew and his close unit of highly-trained 'hotshot' colleagues, who were overcome by the ferocious flames in Yarnell . 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