‘We’re not fighting this fight alone’: Vavenby family whose house burnt down overwhelmed by community support

The family’s Sunday search through the remains of what they thought was their forever home was an emotional rollercoaster. Along with much devastation, they found their oldest daughter’s passport and hard drive, the latter which could contain some photos — priceless memories.

But just like going through the rubble and finding some positives to take away in a tragic situation, Ken Miller and his family feel they found the community they want to stay in forever, thanks to the strong, unexpected support from Clearwater and Vavenby residents after their lives were turned upside down.

‘We had minutes to get out of the house’

The Millers moved to Vavenby from North Vancouver just over a month ago, looking for a sense of community and a smaller neighbourhood.

The house they bought was built in the 1920s as a schoolhouse, then converted to a dance hall in the ’60s, before it was bought privately and turned into a residence.

On Friday (April 9) afternoon, the Millers were getting ready for a barbecue and a casual evening. Ken said he turned on the barbecue before going back into the house.

He believed burning fat dripping on the propane hose got the fired start. The old, timber house quickly ignited and was past the point of being saved by the Millers’ fire extinguisher, their neighbour’s hose or the efforts of local firefighters.

“It turned it into a flamethrower,” Miller said. “We saw some smoke and went back out, and our entire deck area was engulfed. We had minutes to get out of the house — with the clothes on our backs and my daughter’s cellphone. We weren’t able to grab anything else.”

Fay Jones, the Millers’ neighbour, grabbed Melody and their daughter and got them away from the fire, so they didn’t sit and watch their home go.

Jones, whose family has lived in Clearwater since 2004 and has roots going back to the 1970s, spearheaded the process of mobilizing the communities of Clearwater and Vavenby to get the Millers back on their feet. The support that followed would leave the Millers in awe.

“It’s the way we are,” Jones said of Clearwater and Vavenby residents. “It’s just what we do here; you don’t think twice about it. It’s never hit quite close to me like this, but that is the way things are done. If the tables had been turned, [the Millers] would be there to help us.”

What the Miller’s Vavenby house looked like before and after the Friday fire (Submitted photos/Fay Jones).

‘The hint of trouble, duress or pain you’re in, there they are to help’

Jones got the Millers in touch with Emergency Support Services, which got them temporary shelter at a local motel and clothing vouchers at the FIELDS store in Clearwater.

The Millers realized the vouchers at the till would only cover clothing and the not the little things such as hairbrushes or shampoo. With only $14 in change from inside their vehicle to spend, a FIELDS employee kickstarted the community support outpouring.

“The FIELDS employee personally paid for everything else we needed,” Ken said. “She insisted. Out of her own pocket it was $70, but she doesn’t know us. She heard about the story and was willing to do whatever it took to help us.”

From there, residents and businesses in Clearwater and Vavenby dropped what they were doing and helped the Millers in any way they could.

A work party helped sift through the burnt rubble to find anything that could be salvaged. The local pharmacy opened after hours to get them their medication. Contractors offered to clear the rubble for free and save them thousands of dollars. Thrift stores let the family get whatever they need after hours.

The Millers received an offer from their neighbours to stay at their guest house for as long as they need, as well as an offer from the Jones family to hook up a fifth-wheel and stay at their property. The Jones’ also said they would help the Millers with rebuilding their home.

Ken said the future was foggy when his family lost their home on Friday. But as his family continues to recover and plans to rebuild their home, it’s clear where they want to be.

“Staying in the community is at the top of our priority list,” Ken said. “Why would you want to live anywhere else when you have that bonus in the background of having these warm, caring and capable people who just show up. The hint of trouble or duress or pain you’re in, there they are to help. Everybody’s proud and you don’t think you’ll need or accept help. But when you have neighbours this strong who don’t care if you think you don’t need help, they’re going to help anyway.

“It’s bittersweet. I wish my family didn’t have to go through this, but I have the deepest gratitude for the people around me who have been supportive. We don’t know what things are looking like for us economically, but we know we’re healthy, safe and are surrounded by people who truly care. It’s nice to know we’re not fighting this fight alone.”

Complicated short-term matters still exist for the Millers, such as determining if they’ll be covered by insurance. Their provider was still going through the approval process in the one month that they’ve owned their home. In addition, the Millers will still need to go through the rubble to see what survived.

However, Ken and his family know the day will come when the COVID-19 pandemic will end and their new home will be built. He looks forward to when he can properly say thank-you to the people of Clearwater and Vavenby.

“I fancy myself to be a pretty good host, so I would love to bring the whole community for one of my infamous meals and a long, late night,” Ken laughed. “When we have our feet under us, we’ll find a way to start giving back to our community and be there to support anyone else in need.”

Ken’s message to anyone who hears his story is to stay strong and there are people you may not know who will want to help you.

An online fundraiser has been set up to assist the Millers in rebuilding their home.

by Aaron Schulze

‘We’re not fighting this fight alone’: Vavenby family whose house burnt down overwhelmed by community support

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