First Person: The 2007 Wildfire Took Our Home But 'We Had Our Faith, Our Friends And Our Family'

Jay Jeffcoat was on a family vacation when he his wife learned they had lost their home in the 2007 fire. As part of our first procedures he describes living through that loss beginning with the first time they tried to see what was left of their home. We drive her home street and the policeman who was leading us there -- they had us get out the car and they first test and they said we need you to move out of this area because 15 minutes the president of the U.S. and other officials are going to be coming to the street so we need to out of the way. So I got frustrated and I said all we need is 10 minutes and we will get out of the way. So we went down to the end of the street and we were both shocked, disappointed and we were also elated because the back end of my wife's car was not burned. The old vehicle had her Sandi Cole state teaching notes, passport and some memorabilia so instead of feeling we lost everything, we had something. We turned around and here are three young people come up to us and said is there any way that you can wait for a few minutes and meet the president of the United States. We waited and Secret Service process again and then he gives me a bear hug and said how are you doing. He was very real and sincere and wanted to know what could be done for us. Then he said Jay Jeffcoat, show me your house. He told the police let's see them stop us. We walked out into the middle of what was the living room which was now everything had crumbled from up above. So there was like a bathtub in the front room. It was really disorienting. We can replace refrigerators and TVs but it is the memories and he said like what kinds of things that you lose? I said my baseball signed by Nolan Ryan and it was to Ryan Jeffcoat. He said that is no problem he's a good friend of mine and I will get you that ball. So we then had their free run of our place to be able to look through things. Even little things meant a great deal to be able to see. So he left and we noticed a runner property for about 30 minutes the same trio of young people came back and said the president would appreciate if you can join them in the press conference at the end of the street. So we went down to that and that was the when I got pictures all over the world. Six weeks later a big box comes from the White House and in it were not one but three baseballs. One was from Nolan Ryan and the other two were the presidential seal box with the baseball which -- with a note from the president. So we felt until all the insurance money was there that we would not be wise to be building a house that might never return to its value. We finally got that done and my wife poured herself into that building of the house. She had a book that was to be the that had every fixture in every imaginal -- imaginable thing you can do. We built in the same place and build larger place. We had a chance to build a dream home so we did that. It turned out beautiful. It is a place that I love we lost in February but it is still very much part of her. I don't think I ever appreciate the home as much as I do now because everything in it reminds me of her. And absolutely made us stronger because the seeing mantra that we came up with this you lose all your possessions but it is just staff. We our faith, friends, family and it brought us closer and been able to laugh through all the things that she would say. The other thing also is that three years after we moved into the house is when she was diagnosed for stage four brain cancer. She was teaching full-time in the graduate department of education at San Diego State. Turns out the brain tumor was pressing down causing the seizures. So we went through that lifespan for that type of cancer and it was a four year two month amazing fight. I think just getting through the fire was like what next? We were strong and then she was the strongest person you've ever seen and that. That was Jay Jeffcoat. You are listening to KPBS Midday Edition.