Marble – Lynn Brumby and her partner of eight years, Walter Abbott, couldn’t do anything but leave their home – and all of the memories it contained – behind on Dec. 22.
What should have been a time of preparation for the holidays quickly turned into just a few moments of opportunity to save their own lives.
“I heard a popping sound,” Brumby said, describing what happened a few days before Christmas.
She and Abbott were eating dinner when they heard loud popping sounds from the kitchen. The house was quickly filling up with smoke, so much so that the two had to get out of their home as fast as they could.
They were unable to round up their dog, Creamsicle, and three cats – Dolly, Yellow Cat and Joi-Tao. A fourth feline, Bob, was able to escape the smoke and flames.
Once outside, they were met by firefighters with the Murphy, Peachtree and Valleytown departments, who were working hard to knock down the blaze. Unfortunately, all that was left standing was a metal roof and some brick wall.
On Christmas Eve, a rekindling of the fire would bring the remaining portions of the structure completely down. The only things left on the property were ash and debris, along with two semi-burnt vehicles.
“In the moment of it actually happening, there’s nothing that you can actually say about how you feel because it was just a shock. It didn’t seem like it was actually happening,” Abbott said.
The couple have received help from the American Red Cross and numerous individuals. They are staying at the Best Western in Murphy until other arrangements can be made. Future plans include moving closer to, and between, each of their family members.
Abbott and Brumby are not strangers to tragedy. Abbott, who has already survived prostate cancer, has been struggling with lung cancer for the last two years. In June 2023, he lost a younger sister to colon cancer – and then a few months later, an older sister to a cancerous brain tumor.
About a year ago Brumby, fell against a door frame and broke her neck. As a result of her injury, she has had to learn how to walk again, but will always need the assistance of a wheeled chair.
Just a few months after her fall, she was diagnosed with and is struggling through breast cancer in her lymph nodes, as well as having a tumor on her liver.
Through it all, their faith in God has remained strong and, in fact, is growing.
About going back to the scene, “I was very afraid to go because it’s an emotional thing and when I went there it looked so different from the house that it was. It almost looked like it was something that belonged to another person,” Brumby said.
An emotional disconnect set in upon returning to see their home.
“I couldn’t see the house so that made it a lot less hard simply because I found nothing to identify with. It was all destroyed,” she said with emotion in her voice.
However, they are not angry with God.
“Everything happens for a reason, it was in God’s plan. We don’t understand what his plan is. I wasn’t angry, I wasn’t resentful. I believe it happened for a reason, and that reason is yet to be reviewed to us,” Abbott said, adding, “It’s only by His grace that I’m here.”
About the people who have come forward to help Abbott and Brumby, “It’s brought me to tears on about four different occasions. People have done stuff and I just couldn’t hold back. Ya know, being a man I try to turn my head so they wouldn’t see it, but it just brought me to tears,” Abbott said.
Brumby added, “It’s amazing, and if I could have gotten to my knees – I can’t because of the walker – but if I could have gotten to my knees I would have done that to give praise. It’s amazing. They’re generous, they’re kind and they’re loving.”
Upon returning to see the house a second time, they joyfully discovered that their beloved Yellow Cat had indeed survived the fire. If you would like to help the family, call 828-360-2534.