Charred Memories Litter Fire-Ravaged Santa Rosa Neighborhood
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- Deborah Laver is among the fortunate ones. Her Santa Rosa home borders the fire-ravaged Santa Rosa Coffey Park neighborhood, but escaped the deadly flames a week ago.
In the days following the blaze, the winds has swept up debris and ash left by the fire, carrying it for blocks before depositing it in yards and on to roofs.
While cleaning up her yard, something caught Laver's eye. A charred photo of an adult and child.
"I found all types of burnt trash in our yard but just now found this picture," she wrote on her Facebook page. "Could this be the only picture a family might have left?"
There was one cryptic clue written on the photo -- "Summer at" -- the rest was burned away.
And on Monday afternoon, she may have located the family.
Chrystine LaPierre wrote on Laver's Facebook page -- "Hello Deborah Laver! That looks like me and my cousin, and the writing looks like my grandma's!! My parents used to live on the corner of Dogwood and Mocha in Coffey Park ... Im not in the area, but is there a way to connect you with my parents? Thank you so much for posting!"
While the photo has sentimental value to a fire victim, it's also symbolic of the devastating toll the fire took in Coffey Park.
It was a neighborhood with tree-lined streets filled with middle class families. Children played in the yards and rode bikes in the streets. Neighbors hang out together for backyard BBQs and birthday gatherings.
On Sunday, police began to escort residents back into the neighborhood. What they found was street after street of total devastation. Homes where mere piles of ashes with burned chimneys the only recognizable remains. Cherished family mementos have been lost.
Laver hopes that the charred photo she has discovered with ease one family's pain just a little.
