Mar 13, 2008 9:21 am US/Mountain
Viewer Uses Own Money To Pay It 4ward
Written for the Web by Libby Smith, CBS4 special projects producer
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J.P. Ressetar and his wife Karen called CBS4 asking if they could pay it forward to Virginia Benavidez and her family after fire destroyed her their home.
CBS
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. Below lies CBS4's March 12 report. Denver (CBS4) - In the moments that a fire is happening, it's a rush to get everyone out of the house safely.
"I told her, you know, 'Get the kids. Get 'em out. Go!'," Virginia Benavidez remembered the moments after her house caught on fire.
The January blaze broke out in the wall of a garage that had been converted to a bedroom. Denver firefighters were able to put the flames out quickly, but still damage to the tiny house was extensive.
"A lot of my stuff is totaled inside. It's all that debris from the smoke and ashes. It's a total loss in there," Benavidez added.
She's thankful that no one was hurt in the fire. She, her daughter, and two granddaughters got out uninjured. But, now she's unsure what happens next.
"I didn't have fire insurance. I always figured that was included in my house insurance, so I did lose everything," Benavidez said.
That's where a CBS4 viewer stepped in. J.P. Ressetar and his wife Karen called the station asking if they could pay it forward. This Denver businessman said he wanted to support our Pay It 4ward effort by giving $1,000 of his own money to a family in need. Ressetar jumped at the chance to help the Benavidez family.
"God loves you, and so do we," Virginia said.
The thousand dollars will go to help the family get back on their feet. It will pay for food, clothing, and rent while they figures out how to get their home repaired. It's the kind of gift that will make a huge difference in this family's future.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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