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Apr 22, 2008 5:35 pm US/Mountain
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Ordway Fire Victims Honored With Pay It 4ward
Written for the Web by CBS4 producer Libby Smith
The idea behind CBS4's Pay it Forward Colorado project is to give $1,000 to a Coloradan (or group of Coloradans) who will use the money to change someone else's life. Submit your ideas
on YouReport
. Below lies CBS4's April 22 report. CROWLEY COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Crowley County community is rallying around the families of two firefighters killed while battling a wildfire on April 14.
Terry Devore and John Schwartz died on a bridge that collapsed after being weakened by the fire. The fire burned nearly 9,000 acres of land, eight homes were destroyed and two dozen more homes were damaged. But it's the loss of these two volunteer firefighters that has the community coming together.
"They're simple people living simple lives raising their children," Crowley County community member, Kelli Wasko, told CBS4.
All four of the Devore children keep expecting their father to walk through the door at any moment. Four-year-old Jeremiah is having the most trouble.
"Him and Sissy told Daddy to be careful and he didn't. And then he said that he forgot to tell Daddy the bridge was broken," said Jeremiah's mom, Jennifer.
The kids remember his playful sense of humor.
"He's just funny," said 9-year-old Breann.
"I was 'Pizza-head,'" said 9-year-old Ryan.
But it's his heroics they're most proud off.
"He saved a lot of lives," said Breann.
Terry Devore was devoted to keeping his family and community safe. He never talked about the risks he faced every time he fought a fire.
"He just loved it. His dad did it and he just wanted to do it," wife Jennifer Devore said.
Now the community has come together in the face of the tragedy to protect Terry Devore's and John Schwartz's families and offer any bit of comfort they can.
Additional Resources
• If you would like to make a donation to the Devore or Schwartz family, a fund has been set up through First National Bank-Ordway, P.O. Box 278, Ordway, CO, 81063. Mark your checks for fallen firefighters Devore and Schwartz.
(© MMVIII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)