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Finding the unexpected after the fire

On Sunday, October 28, the men’s tennis team from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) came to Fallbrook to help fire victims clear their properties. Their coach, Trevor Kronemann, has relatives in Fallbrook and wanted his team to gain some “real world” experience. The team’s major task for the day was sifting through the remains of Brendan and Rosalind Donoghue’s home.

The Donoghues had hurriedly evacuated the previous Monday when the Rice Fire swiftly burned up Reche Road straight toward their property. They found refuge at March Air Force Base where Brendan, a Lt. Colonel in the US Air Force Reserves, is the Chief Dental Officer of the 452nd AMDS. (His wife is also a dentist.)

The first telephoned report they were given was that they had lost everything. Later, however, they found out from several sources that the children’s seven pygmy goats had survived the fire unscathed. (The animals they did lose include chickens, rabbits, fish, peacocks and additional birds.)

On the following Sunday, the family returned to Fallbrook to see the devastation firsthand. A family friend had called and offered to bring the tennis team to their property to help them. Not knowing what to expect, they accepted the offer.

There was not much to find in the rubble, but the tennis players did help find three valuable objects. One was the diamond ring Brendan had given Rosalind on their tenth wedding anniversary. Not salvageable, the ring was at least proof that she owned it so that their insurance will replace it. Another ring that was found had belonged to Brendan’s great-grandfather.

Ironically, one of the few recognizable items the players found was the remains of Brendan’s tennis racquet. The most important find of the day, however, was a file folder that was the only one of hundreds in their house to survive the fire. Not even charred, the folder contained Rosalind’s military service statement.

While at March Air Force Base, an aid worker informed Rosalind that the UC and California State colleges give a veterans’ benefit of a free tuition waiver to veterans’ children. The Donoghue’s oldest daughter, Madison, is a senior at Fallbrook High School who lost all of her college applications and essays when the fire destroyed her home computer.

The problem at that point was that they needed that service statement in order to qualify for the waiver. So, it was quite a coincidence that it was the only folder that survived. (Shortly after returning to Fallbrook, where they are now renting a house, Madison received an unexpected acceptance letter from UC Santa Barbara based on her SAT scores.)

Helping the family to find what was left of all their possessions proved to be a life-altering experience for the young men on the tennis team. Afterward, they told the family, “We came as individuals but left as a team.”

The Donoghues have also been given aid and support by their church, St. Peter’s, and by Calvary Chapel, the US Air Force Veteran’s Association, United Methodist Church (where Kendra goes to kindergarten), Live Oak School (where Kiera is in fifth grade), Potter Junior High (where Shavonne is in seventh grade), Andrew and Madison’s Fallbrook High School teachers and Rainbow Valley Grange, to which the whole family belongs.

Fellow Grange members rescued and cared for the goats and held a fundraising dinner for the family and other fire victims. At the dinner, Coach Kronemann’s daughter Haley presented the Donoghues with seven tennis racquets and balls, a UCI ball cap and banner and a small stuffed anteater (UCI’s mascot), courtesy of the team’s sponsor, well-known sports equipment manufacturer Head.

Despite losing their home, Brendan and Rosalind are very grateful for and touched by the outpouring of help from the community, especially from people they don’t even know. Rosalind said she cried, “not because of the loss but because I was overwhelmed by all the help people offered us.”

 

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