Vietnam Vet and Wife lose Everything in Camp Fire
Donation protected
Our team here at Battle Born Batteries believes it is important to help those in need. We have decided to help a family who lost everything in the recent 2018 Camp Fire, this fire ravaged Butte County in Northern California. 88 people lost their lives and nearly 14,000 homes were burned to the ground in this tragic event and we want to make a difference for one of these families. We are committed to matching every donation made to this campaign, Dollar for Dollar. Our goal is to raise $20,000 total with your help.
Meet Jim and Marie McGhee:
About Us
We are Jim and Marie McGhee, we met when I was 15 years old and Jim was 17. We met through a mutual friend at a drive-in restaurant. There was an immediate attraction and we have been constant companions since. We were married at ages 18 and 19 and will celebrate our 50th anniversary next March. Jim had been in Germany and was on his way to Vietnam when we were married.
The Narrow Escape
We lost our home and everything we owned except our laptops and our little dog Miley. She is a Yorkie mix rescue in the Northern California Camp fire. We drove away thinking we would be back the next day, only now do we know what a mistake that was.
At first you just feel shock, then you feel glad you made it out and then every day you are reminded of something else that you lost, it does not come all at once so it’s hard to comprehend. Then you try to think about what you will do. At age 69 do you have enough time and energy to rebuild or do you move on? Then I thought everyone needs something to look forward to, a purpose, even if you never complete the task, that is what motivates us.
Military Service and Careers
Jim served 4 years in the Army as a combat engineer. He was first stationed in Mannheim, Germany and then got orders for Vietnam where he served from ’69 - ‘70. Jim then got ordered to Fort Ord, California where he finished his enlistment. Later, Jim retired from the BNSF railroad where he worked as a car inspector, and I (Marie) retired from insurance billing in the medical field.
Camp Fire Aftermath
Currently, we are living with my sister in Walnut Creek, CA. We are hoping to move back and try to rebuild if possible, which takes time so having a place to live is a large concern. We are both retired and living on a fixed income. Therefore, the possibility of getting 50 years of your life back is impossible, but we believe everyone needs goals and a reason to keep going.
Losing a Son, then losing 50 years of memories
During the fire our first instinct was to stay together and reach safety, so we just grabbed a few things along with our dog, Miley who is a big part of our lives and then we left.
We left behind our truck as we wanted to stay together, this specific truck belonged to our son, Brian who died in an accident back in 2009. We lovingly cared for this truck, as it was our intention to give it to our grandson when he was of driving age. However, the truck was destroyed in the fire so our grandson will not have that part of his father that we had intended.
Putting Things into Perspective
Marie likes to lean on a quote from Gordon B. Hinckley, “When you are tired of standing, Kneel.”
What’s here today can be gone tomorrow, everyone needs direction and a partner to help them get there. While deeply saddened by the loss of family treasures created in 50 years. We are still amazed by the love and support of family, friends and strangers. We have been givers all our lives and find it difficult to be on the receiving end. Even though we have lost everything we are still aware that there are many in the world that are worse off than we are.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sean Nichols
Organizer
Reno, NV
James W McGhee
Beneficiary