# My mom was killed in a fire last night. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 27, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881 "2011-04-27T12:25:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/221 "2011-04-28T01:10:21Z")
Geez…I’m so sorry to hear this. You and your family are in my thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/222 "2011-04-28T01:14:15Z")
Add me to the host of Dopers holding you and yours in our thoughts. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/223 "2011-04-28T01:18:23Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > I am so sorry to hear of your loss. This must a real shock to you. Let us hope that it was smoke inhalation. > > Not to be difficult, but I’m kinda 😕 about the authorities–how long does it take to be officially notified? When my sister was found dead in her condo, the building manager called me right away and went down to ID her, > > Maybe the house has such damage that there are no records or phone numbers available? But then wouldn’t the cops ask a neighbor (perhaps the same one who notified you?). I’m just puzzled about this. I don’t know what’s taking so long, but I still haven’t heard back. They have our phone numbers because I gave them to the PD this morning. My brother (Cricetus/tnetennba) said his wife also talked to the FD a little bit this afternoon, but didn’t get much more information, but they sort of confirmed the identification off the record. Maybe it’s taking longer to get a positive ID without somebody there. They still don’t know the cause of the fire either. It started in the bedroom. My mother didn’t smoke, so I’m guessing it had to have been something electrical. There’s so much crap to do, and I don’t even know where to start. I just got off the phone with my dad who had a lot of advice (ironically, he just lost his own mother a few weeks ago), but there is going to be long row to hoe. We don’t even know who her insurance company was. I’m calling her lawyer tomorrow just as a starting point. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/224 "2011-04-28T01:18:50Z")
I’m so sorry–you have my deepest sympathies. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/225 "2011-04-28T01:21:27Z")
Oh, Dio, how awful. What a terrible way to lose a loved one. My deepest condolences. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/226 "2011-04-28T01:26:51Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I got a call around 4 AM this morning. It was my mom’s next door neighbor in the town where she lives. The neighbor said my mom’s house was on fire, that the FD was there, but they hadn’t taken anyone out of the house. I called the PD there, and a Sergeant called me back, confirmed the fire and told me they had removed a body from the house. He couldn’t confirm that it was my mom, but no one else lived in that house. > > I’m still waiting to hear more later today from investigators. I’ve been pacing around for hours. Haven’t told my kids. ☹ Just saw this… Truly sorry. It must be horrible. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![seanchai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@seanchai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seanchai)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/227 "2011-04-28T01:30:29Z")
Add me to the long list of those who send condolences, Dio. an seanchai ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/228 "2011-04-28T01:43:51Z")
☹ Speechless. ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/229 "2011-04-28T01:47:28Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > … may her memory be eternal … Per Dio’s link: _… the victim is likely (Dio’s mom) … a former Herald reporter … “sad news for the Herald,” said … the paper’s editor and publisher … “… (s)he was part of the crew that covered the 1997 Flood — coverage that earned the Herald the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service …”_ [http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/8142/group/News/](http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/8142/group/News/) (with more details of her career) ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/230 "2011-04-28T01:49:09Z")
Sorry. My condolences. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/231 "2011-04-28T01:57:42Z")
Yeah, she had a piece of a Pulitzer Prize. Her proudest accomplishment. She also once got individually nominated for another Pulitzer before that, and won a ton of other reporting awards. She was a great political reporter, extremely smart, was on a first name basis with multiple US Senators, Congressmen and Governors, knew where all the bodies were buried, did some occasional appearances on local television and radio shows. She did a couple of talking head appearances on CNN. She’s the only person I ever knew who actually read Hillary’s health care plan from cover to cover, and I have a vivid memory of her dissecting a local right wing radio host on the air about it, totally exposed him as having no idea what he was talking about. My mother was very difficult to debate. She would just snow you under with facts and cites. She would have been a good Doper. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/232 "2011-04-28T02:07:58Z")
That’s awesome. And that post, right there? That’s exactly how you should remember her: by her rich life and her long list of accomplishments. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/233 "2011-04-28T02:10:43Z")
Thank you for sharing a little bit of her life and spirit with us. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/234 "2011-04-28T02:13:12Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > That’s awesome. And that post, right there? That’s exactly how you should remember her: by her rich life and her long list of accomplishments. I agree. I hope you’re able to share more about her as time goes on. Sounds like she was a fascinating person. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/235 "2011-04-28T02:14:32Z")
I’m so sorry to hear this. It sounds like she had a full life. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/236 "2011-04-28T02:14:47Z")
What a horrible thing to happen **Diogenes**. Your mum sounds like a very special lady, and I wish you and your family peace during this time. kam ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/237 "2011-04-28T02:18:35Z")
Holy crap! I’m so sorry **Dio** ☹ Your mom sounds like an amazing woman. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/238 "2011-04-28T02:23:36Z")
quite emotional right now, can’t in fact see all that clearly, oh Dio’ ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/239 "2011-04-28T02:34:51Z")
I want to add my own thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881/240 "2011-04-28T02:34:55Z")
I spoke, out loud, “Well, fuck, **Dio** ,” when I read the thread title, and I’ll stick with it. I’m simply add that you have my sympathy and condolences. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mom-was-killed-in-a-fire-last-night/579881.md?page=13)