MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — Pat Carpenter was running out of time and options last Friday.
He was 10 minutes behind his wife. She left their Silver Lake home in one of their cars right before the Gray Fire blocked roads, trapping him and several other neighbors.
"Donna was coming out in her bathrobe and slippers because the police had knocked on her door," Carpenter said. "When the authorities call level 3 and say it's time to go, it's time to go."
The fire was coming right for them. Carpenter loaded up three neighbors and a dog into his pontoon boat, which he bought just a few weeks ago.
"We knew our houses were going quickly," Carpenter said. "I had to remember where to turn the battery on."
Though they lost their home in the blaze, Carpenter and his wife have a place to stay with their daughter on the South Hill.
"Lots of hugs from grandkids," Carpenter said. "They have a sense for when things are tough and we're getting cuddling time. It's top notch. It's pretty darn cool."
Carpenter says he's thankful for the first responders and his community.
"We're all just going to keep holding each other up as we do," Carpenter said. "You see the best in people through things like this."
Carpenter and his neighbors are planning to take a look at the damage. He says it's going to be tough.
"It will," Carpenter said. "That's why we're going to do it together."
The Carpenters are planning to rebuild. They just want to know what resources will be brought in to help clean up the rubble.
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