SUPERIOR, Colo. — Keith and Della Gibson are feeling quite at home in their beautiful, new space. But getting back home was no walk in the park.
“The permits,” Della Gibson remarked. “It took forever.”
As we reported back in March, the Gibson’s new home was complete. A modular home built in Nebraska.
Our Denver7 cameras were there as it was set on a new foundation in the exact location where their old home burned down in the Marshall Fire on West Coal Creek Drive in Superior.
Marshall Fire
Families finally moving back to Old Town Superior 15 months after Marshall Fire
But then – Xcel and other utilities simply weren’t ready with critical infrastructure, like underground power lines that were supposed to be in.
“They were supposed to install them, and they haven’t yet,” said Keith Gibson. “They were supposed to start before we even got the house here.”
“That was the hold-up with the certificate of occupancy,” Della said. “Everybody’s having a lot of delays.”
Now – after weeks of delays, 78-year-old Della is finally able to decorate and organize.
“I love my kitchen,” Della said. “Lots of cabinets, lots of cabinet space.”
As 82-year-old Keith works on the yard.
“We grow rocks,” Keith said. “This is an old riverbed.”
The couple has few complaints at this point, exactly a year-and-a-half after the fire.
“No,” said Della. “What are you going to do? It’s done. Even if you find out who did it.”
“I mean, we’re all lucky to be alive, really,” Keith said. “Because if it would have happened at night, everybody would have been dead. But thanks to the man up there, or whoever, we’re all still here.”
“You just have to go on with your life and let it go,” Della said. “If you can’t do anything about it, then I don’t worry about it because it’s just more stress.”
What they do have is lots to be thankful for, especially neighbors coming home soon.
“They hope to be in by September,” Della said of their next-door neighbors. “They’re all such good neighbors. A few others are planning to be in by Christmas. All I have to do is say I need help and they’ll be right here."
Home sweet home for Marshall Fire survivors.
“My corner of the world,” Della said.