WESTMINSTER, Colo. — The Marshall Fire did not discriminate: homeowners, renters, seniors and students lost everything.
On Tuesday, Denver7 Gives helped two families from different walks of life recover thanks to generous donations from Denver7 viewers.
Inside her Louisville hair salon, Kelly Day is offering free cuts for fire victims and first responders.
"It's my way of giving back, and thanking people for what they have done for my father," she said. "I can give haircuts."
Her father, Richard Daley, lost his home of 30 years and everything he owned in the Marshall Fire.
"I lost our home where we raised our kids, our three daughters and our three granddaughters. Thirty years of memories. Not a lot left other than the memories," Daley said.
Some of those memories are bittersweet. In November, his wife died in home hospice.
"We brought the ashes home. She stayed with us on the mantel through Christmas," said Daley, filled with emotion. "My wife had said she never wanted to leave that home. So, she got her wish. She's going to be forever part of that home."
A family that has lost so much is still trying to give, and taking help does not come easy.
"I'm not one of those guys that relied on help. I'm a guy that would always say, 'No, I'll give the help,'" Daley said. "Every day I'm surprised that somebody that I don't even know helps, and I'm learning to accept that help."
Click here to go directly to the Denver7 Gives donation form then choose a campaign
Losing one item in particular was making rebuilding even more difficult.
"All of the things that I need to do, all of the restoration of my life now is exacerbated by the fact that I don't have a computer," he said.
With generous donations from viewers, Denver7 Gives bought Daley a computer and threw in Microsoft office software and a $200 Amazon gift card.
"We take care of our people in this community and the state," Daley said. "And we thank you for that."
Meanwhile, Eddy Miscles also lost everything he owned in the Marshall Fire.
The 24-year-old is working on his PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado and had been commuting to Boulder from Louisville. His basement apartment was destroyed in the fire, and he made it out with just his backpack and his dog.
Thanks to generous donations from American Furniture Warehouse and Denver7 Gives viewers, he was able to go shopping and furnish his new apartment with a sleeper sofa, coffee table, dining table and chairs, bookcase, lamp, storage cube and office chair.
"Thank you so much," Miscles said. "Truly, it means the world to me and to all the other fire victims. We wouldn't be able to rebuild without your guys' help."
Denver7 features the stories of people who need help and now you can help them with a cash donation through Denver7 Gives. One hundred percent of contributions to the fund will be used to help people in our local community.
