Tragedy, by its nature, is incomprehensible. It leaves us searching for reasons that can’t be grasped, for answers that will never come.
Twice this fall, tragedy has shaken Snohomish County communities in the form of deadly blazes — both apparently accidental — that destroyed homes previously filled with love. In September, a young mother, her sister and her two young daughters perished when fire destroyed their mobile home in Snohomish. Friday, less than eight weeks later, two boys were lost when their foster family’s home near Arlington became engulfed.
In both cases, families were left in unspeakable pain. Firefighters, whose predisposition and training make them want to rush in, could only watch in frustration because the blazes took control so quickly.
Neighbors in the 44-unit Snohomish mobile home park were left stunned after Maria “Sandra” Montaño, 28, her sister, Petra “Claudia” Montaño, 25, and Maria’s daughters Ashley, 7, and Yareli, 4, died on Sept. 30. The family had only moved in days before, ready to start a new chapter in their lives. Ashley was ready to start attending Riverview Elementary School. Family and friends, numbed by the enormity of the loss, gathered the next evening at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Snohomish. Donation boxes to help with funeral expenses appeared quickly at Mexican restaurants throughout the area.
In a statement released early Monday, Mark and Susan Lee thanked the community for embracing their family after two boys, 10 and 11, in their foster cared died in the blaze that destroyed their 4,000-square foot home in the Bryant area north of Arlington. The Lees are committed, longtime foster parents who were making room for more kids by adding bedrooms to their home. The Lees and four other children, including their 19-year-old daughter, escaped unhurt. According to the statement, Mark Lee tried to rescue the 11-year-old boy but was overcome by the heat and smoke. No one realized at the time that the 10-year-old was also still inside.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to which the Lees belong, will be there to support the family emotionally and financially. And while no amount of support will ever be enough for these families, they should take some comfort knowing that it is widespread.
Tragedy, we know, can strike any of us at anytime. The Lees, the families of the foster boys, and the Montaños’ loved ones, are in the hearts and prayers of a community that numbers in the thousands. We all share their profound loss.
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