93-Year-Old Veteran Sleeps In Car After Fleeing Wildfire, Then Stranger Says ‘You’re Coming With Us’

A couple of California offered their home to a 93-year-old veteran, whose town was burned to the ground.

Life is unpredictable, and often, a single event can easily turn all things upside down. The devastating Camp Fire two years ago left destruction and death behind, so countless families have been forced to leave their homes and seek their safety somewhere else.

The fire has left numerous people homeless and uncertain if their homes still exist. Among the many, the flames also engulfed the hometown of a 93-old-old World War II veteran, Lee Brundige.

The man lived in the home his late wife designed in Paradise, California, and he had no idea that the fire was coming, but his gardener started banging on his windows to wake him up.

Fortunately, the old man heeded the evacuation warning, and he initially ended up in Oroville, in a parking lot with other evacuees about 11 miles south of the fire. There, he met Tracy Grant, a woman who was helping feed the group of newly uprooted people.

Grant offered the veteran a hamburger, but he was too humble and refused it, explaining that someone else could benefit from it more. Grant asked him if he had a place to stay, but he insisted on sleeping in his car.

She said:

“I didn’t like leaving him there, but he’s very independent. So I made sure he had blankets and a pillow. I stayed with him until about midnight.”

Although she was deeply concerned, she respected his wishes. Yet, the next morning, the sheriff gave evacuees an ultimatum, evacuate, or risk your life.

At this point, Lee had to make a decision and accepted Grant’s offer. Lee went to live with the kind woman, her boyfriend Josh Fox, and their two dogs, Cash and Axel.

Grant then said they have no problem to offer Lee their home as long as he needs it, and they were not sure whether his home has survived the fire. They have then contacted Lee’s son, to work together and ensure Lee’s happy and peaceful future.

Meanwhile, they have learned more about their new roommate.

Grant added:

“We found he has many friends and is loved by his community. He can stay with us as long as he would like.”

These stories restore our hope in humanity and encourage us to recognize the good amidst all the bad. We can make the world a better place by just spreading goodness and happiness.

Even when we don’t have much, we can do much for others. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need.