A community returned to their Yarnell Hill homes on Monday, but 19 of the 20 men who protected those homes from a deadly wild fire did not.
Instead, the 19 men known as the Granite Mountain Hotshots, have been honored with processions and memorial services, their families left to deal with the chaos in the wake of their deaths.
Monday at the Diamonbacks versus Dodgers game, Julianne Ashcraft and her four — yes four — children were honored and threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Chase Field.
As tears streamed down the faces of emotional fans, I couldn't help but wonder how Julianne, who kept it together with a smile on her face, and others like her would move on from this tragedy, not only emotionally but also financially.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics last published its occupational outlook handbook in 2010, and, at that time, firefighters made a median salary of about $45,000 while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,050.
Raising four children on this salary could not have been easy, but raising them as a single mother will be quite another undertaking, and I can't imagine the challenges Julianne, her family and those like hers will face in the future.
As I think about the trials the families of the 19 heroes will face, I am uplifted by the show of support through donations, memorial funds and even scholarships that the families will receive as they trudge along the path to recovery and healing.
Their fathers' sacrifices will pay for their college educations as an Arizona Board of Regents pre-existing policy, which provides that children and spouses of Arizona firefighters killed in the line of duty can attend state universities free of cost. I'm sure their fathers would have been more than willing to pay, and it is by no means an even trade, but at least it will help ease the blow.
I spent July 4 in Prescott, and as the fireworks exploded, I was truly moved by the shared sense of national sentiment. It was a wonderful time to celebrate our country's strength in the face of tragedy and honor our commonalities as opposed to quarreling over our differences. The Prescott community and the extended communities in Phoenix and elsewhere have contributed their support, especially monetarily but also emotionally, and this was a wonderful thing to see and experience during this time of the year.
The Granite Mountain Hotshots are true American heroes, not only for protecting their and our families, but also for reminding us all of what it means to call this land our home.
Reach the columnist at npmendo@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @NPMendoza
