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First responders support woman who lost husband in fire
First responders in Plano raised money and offered support for a woman who lost her husband and home to a fire last month.
PLANO, Texas - First responders in Plano raised money and offered support for a woman who lost her husband and home to a fire last month.
"It just hit me different. Every tragedy that we go to is never easy. We don’t like to see anybody to have their life fall apart. Nobody calls 911 because they’re having a good day," Plano PD Sgt. David Thornsby said.
Thornsby is talking about a devastating house fire that took the life of a husband in his 90s and his dog.
"We were made aware that Mr. Hurlbut hadn’t made it out, that there was still a dog inside as well. With the way the fire was, [the fire department] was trying to do the best they could to try and get in there," Thornsby.
Mrs. Hurlbut, who is in her 70s, survived, along with her second dog, Jake.
Still dealing with the tragedy, she declined to speak on Saturday.
The 2-alarm fire took place on August 18, in the 6600 block of Biltmore place in Plano. The home was a total loss.
Plano PD made sure someone was with her while on scene.
When Thornsby went home, he got the idea to go beyond his duties as an officer.
"With this one, I have a soft spot for senior citizens, animals, and kids. It was something to where, with their ages, I just felt horrible that she lost everything, pretty much all at once, in one night," he said.
Thornsby, the patrol supervisor that night, coordinated with other officers and Plano Fire-Rescue personnel to raise money for the fire victim.
So far, they’ve raised a little more than $4,000.
"My wife has a heart of gold. I came home and told her what happened, it affected her too," Thornsby recalled. "Right off the bat, I told her what I was thinking. She, right off the bat, started ordering a whole bunch of stuff for the dog."
Thornsby said Mrs. Hurlbut was happily overwhelmed when she met with officers last Sunday, along with her family.
"Between a bunch of tears and hugs, after going through the whole thing, she was very appreciative," Thornsby added.
Thornsby shared what inspired him to give back.
"It’s just the right thing to do. With their faith, they’re going through as much as they can. Prayers are very much appreciated, and by faith, love thy neighbor," he said. "We get into this profession because we want to help people, it’s why we do this. It’s a calling."
He added that helping a family helps him get over the grimmer parts of the job.
"I can walk away from situations knowing that we made a difference in someone’s life in a positive way. It’s a great feeling. It doesn’t get any better than that," Thornsby said.