Letter to the Editor: Community outpouring helped so much

Editor,

Over the years, I’ve written many letters to the editor, but this may be the hardest. I could not put into 25-words our thanks to the people of Creede for their outpouring of love and caring shown to our family in the past month since our son and grandson Damian’s death.

During the most difficult time in our lives, you were here for comfort. During the most difficult time in our lives, you were here to help us through. During the most difficult time in our lives, you were you. Thanks for being you!

Creede is special! We have seen this in the past when people come together to help anyone who needs it in our small community — potluck charity dinners, senior meals, making masks during our COVID outbreak, helping hands, ladies aid, food bank, mountain ministries sharing with EMS, fire department, etc., Elks scholarships, individuals helping where needed, etc. I know I am forgetting some, but I think this gets my point across — when a helping hand is needed — Creede is there!

Damian’s dream from the time he was little was to be a fireman. He reached that goal as a full-time fireman in Gypsum and part-time in Eagle. He was also an EMT, serving on many calls to Interstate 70. He was a certified wildland firefighter, and over the years fought fires in Colorado, California, Oregon, Montana and Idaho. The summer after he graduated from Creede High School, he was with the Creede Fire Department on the West Fork Fire Complex and with the Alamosa Fire Department on the Black Forest Fire north of Colorado Springs.

Why Damian took his life at the young age of 27, we will never know. As one of the cards we received put it, “Some things will never be understood this side of heaven and certainly this loss was one of them.”

Again, your outpouring of caring helped us so much. Thank you!

A memorial service is planned for Damian at Calvary Christian Fellowship Church in Gypsum on Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.

Tracy and Dylan Trow, Amber and David Trow, Dannie and Betsy Rogers

Creede