These were the words of my mother Kristi; in the early hours of Monday October 9th, 2017. I have never woken up so fast in my life. I threw open the blinds and looked up to see a red haze coming over the top of the hill. My life just changed.

   There was no electricity in the house, it was pitch black. The only light we had was the flashlights of our phones and the glow of the fire racing towards our home. I could hear my mom screaming but I couldn’t make out the words. I was scrambling, desperate, and helpless. I grabbed my yearbooks, backpack, football, all I had were clothes on my back. I sprinted down the stairs in the dark and ran to my truck. As I was running out the front door for the last time, my parents were screaming, “get to the Moran’s!” Jason Moran is a fellow teammate and classmate. These words were hard to hear with the sounds of the approaching fire. This sound is something that I will never forget. It was a mix of a flooding river, taking everything in its path mixed with the sound of exploding bombs, which in reality, were propane tanks and houses catching fire. The rage and roar of the fire was breathtaking.

    I got in my truck and took one final look at my home and saw the raging fire coming closer. My neighbors’ yards were already aflame. I began to be frantic because my parents were still in the house, trying to get their cars out of the garage. With no electricity, they had to open them manually. I started to honk my horn and scream. They were taking too long. Next, I heard my neighbor say we have to go now. I started down the driveway. My neighbor didn’t think he could get his car out because the flames were already in front of us. He jumped in my truck and left his car in the road. I then drove quickly through the fire, thankfully making it. As I turned onto a fire engulfed street, cars were catching on fire from embers falling. I was in no shape to drive, overcome with the shakes and pure terror. Someone was watching over me that night. There is no way I could have gotten from Point A to Point B without help. I dropped my neighbor off with his wife at the local grocery store. This store is where I went daily to get food and the parking lot there was filled with cars that were also up in flames. I arrived safely to the Moran house, just a short 10 minute drive. Thankfully my parents got there as well. This was just the beginning of a disaster.

   The next day I realized I had lost two homes, my house and my school.This is surreal.

   I am living a completely different life. Am I mad about it? No. Sad? Of course. I lost so much in the fire that destroyed my homes. However, I am enduring these experiences and they have only defined me more as a person. I have always been a leader. Now I am being asked to lead in an unknown territory, one that I could not have imagined. My school community desperately needs leadership and I am an intricate part of it. Furthermore, I lost all materials things I had, and yet I am still leading my peers and the football team at quarterback. I am still showing up to leadership class where there is no longer a school to attend. I am still showing up and still leading.

   I never thought my life would take such a drastic turn. Being a teenager now is different than what it was before. I am trying to find the right words to say to my parents, loved ones, and people who look up to me. I am doing the best job I know how to do.