Memories from the Ashes

Yesterday 1/17/22 my Dad lost a lifetime of items he had worked his whole life to give to our family when his 2 story barn style garage burned to the ground. The house was salvaged but badly melted on one side and left without power. No one was home nor harmed at the time it caught fire so we are forever great full for that and well, things are just things. But watching it all burn and collapse upon itself is an extremely traumatic way to see it all go when every memory your family has was tied to that structure and the things in it.

The material things lost were endless from his custom Harley, to his childhood drum set he still played on, to his lawnmower, snowblower & snowmobile’s he worked really hard to provide us with… not to mention priceless handmade Halloween decorations, costumes and cherished Christmas ornaments handed down thru generations. My brother’s hand built skate ramps and an entire workshop of tools, machines and a Cube Van for his construction business. It may sound like a lot but none of these things came easy and this man worked himself to the bone to provide even the simplest of conveniences in order for his family to live happier and healthier.

What is most important are the lessons learned - my dad paid my brother 1 penny for every nail he pulled out of every board for 2 summers b4 building it from scratch. He threw elaborate Halloween and Christmas parties every year for all the neighbors. It was a safe place for the skater kids in the town to get together and skate, as well as the full band room he hand built himself to play and share music in. It was a big place for a small town that brought so many neighbors and friends together in hard and good times. So many heartfelt memories were made there, and for that, it will be wholeheartedly missed.

If you or anyone you know would like to help out the most of generous humans in the same way he has always helped out anyone who came through those doors, please. Any small thing would be appreciated on a level that only people as giving as he is to a community & the people around him, could understand.

And if you have nothing to give, just positive vibes thrown our way is just as helpful as we also appreciate you even reading this far. Thank you and all the best of energy, right back at ya! - The Hemingway’s