Stevens family thankful for help after fire

By OSEYE T. BOYD
oboyd@muncie.gannett.com

YORKTOWN -- As cliché as it sounds, Amy Stevens has a lot to be thankful for.

Just a few weeks ago, Stevens' home caught fire. And while she, her two children and the family cat escaped harm, they lost their home, clothes and toys -- pretty much everything.

Now, Jones is living in another residence, and the outpouring of assistance she's received from the American Red Cross and its volunteers, church groups and others in the community has been tremendous.

"I'm just amazed by everyone in this community," Stevens, 31, said. "They're just willing to help. They don't even know me."

Stevens has lived in Yorktown just four ye Red Cross volunteer Marty Kendrick ars, and she has no family in the area.

It was easy to want to help the family,said. Kendrick met Stevens at the Red Cross where she heard her story firsthand. Stevens' determination to overcome the devastation brought on by the fire and to restore a sense of normalcy for her children impressed Kendrick.

Today, Stevens' daughter Bailey turns 3, and it will be a happier birthday that she ever could have predicted a month ago.

"I know she's going to make it," Kendrick said. "There was just something about her being, her explanation of her situation, what she said about her children, I could just tell she was a very, very caring mother. She was very concerned about her children above all. She wasn't concerned about herself at all."

That personal connection made a big difference for Red Cross volunteers. It's not unusual for volunteers to go beyond the shelter and debit card for food and clothing the Red Cross gives victims of disasters, but getting to know Stevens touched their hearts and people gave even more, Director of Military Outreach and Volunteers Julie Hankins said.

It would be easy for Stevens to complain. It would be easy to understand if she did, but it's not an option for Stevens. A few days after the house fire, tragedy struck at Fort Hood, where she once lived. Stevens also regularly sees people who are in greater need than she. These realizations keep her grounded and grateful.

"I just want people to know that I appreciate everything that everyone has done for me," Stevens said. "I'm just amazed."