MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — A photo floating around social media has become a symbol of strength and hope for the Dibble family, whose home burned down in the Oregon Road Fire in Elk, Wash.
The picture of a burnt-down structure made the rounds online, with the caption that the man in it and his family lost everything. Thanks to the man in the photo, they didn't lose everything.
It was one of the only things Adela Dibble could do when the Oregon Road fire broke out near her home. She and her husband, Art Dibble, celebrated an anniversary when they got the call Friday night. But the fire had already taken over the road a mile from home.
Art Dibble Sr., Art Dibble's father, called to tell them he was packing up the couple’s dogs and getting out. The Dibbles saw the damage the next day.
The workshop and apartment where Art Senior lived were destroyed. But, the Dibbles' home was still up 200 feet away from the fire, thanks to Art Sr.
“He watered all around the house for half an hour before he had to leave," said Art Dibble. "It got up to about five feet before our garage, all the way around and didn’t burn no more.”
That wasn’t the only thing to survive. In a pile of ash and rubble, Adela found something else.
“I had to pick it up and I was like, your flag made it. Pop pop, it made it,” said Adela Dibble.
The photo she took has been shared across social media.
“I just thought it was a symbol of hope,” said Adela.
A reminder that the most important things are still standing.
“I’m just thankful that I was able to take that picture. We were worried he wouldn’t make it out," said Adela.
Now, Art Sr. is living in the big house until they can rebuild his place next door.
The Dibbles have insurance on the burned buildings so that Art Sr. will get his space back. A stranger also gifted him another American flag, which will go up as soon as the family returns home.
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