Pretty sunrise view from outside my studio a few days before the Fire.
February 6, 2017
Dearest friends and family,
As many of you are aware, exactly one year ago today I lost everything I owned in a house fire. I remember it like it was yesterday. Saturday February 6, 2016 started off at 9am when I awoke and rolled over in bed to a text message from a co-worker asking for coverage of her 2:30-8pm shift at Bodywork Bistro as she was feeling ill. I had nothing major planned for the afternoon so I told her I would take the shift. I then proceeded to enjoy my Saturday morning, I talked on the phone with my mother for about an hour, then left home for a 12:15pm yoga class with Rob Loud at Yoga Pod in downtown Boulder, CO. I got to work at Bodywork Bistro by 2:30pm and left at approx. 8:15pm after closing up for the night. After calling a few friends on my way home with no reply, I made my way home up the mountain canyon via HWY 36. When I arrived at my house and opened the door to my car I could smell smoke. Everything happened so fast. I started walking up to the house and the smoke smell got more intense. As I stepped closer to the door, my heart sank and and my greatest fear quickly became a painstaking reality. When I opened the front door to discover my living room engulfed in smoke and flames I unintentionally gave the fire the air that it needed to grow. That little bit of air combined with the extreme wind were enough to fuel the fire and burn the entire building completely down in what seemed like minutes. The hardest part was sitting helplessly in shock in the dark on the side of this beautiful mountain by myself while I watched and waited. Watched as my home, memories, and 23 years of collected tokens that I thought made me who I was melted, burned, and went up in flames.
The cause of the fire was a malfunction in the wood burning pellet stove that was the primary source of heat for the entire carriage house/studio space.
A new beginning, a karmic cleansing, however you want to “sugar coat” it, losing my house and all of my stuff was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life thus far. The experience has taught me many things about the true meaning of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. It has taught me what the real value of community support is. Life is not about stuff, life is about relationships. Life is about the quality of the relationships we build with other people, nature, spirit, and with ourselves.
Though a lot of effort and relief was provided by many friends and family members, still a lot of important items I lost in the fire have yet to be replaced. Insurance did not cover anything that I lost in the fire due to circumstantial issues out of my control. I set an initial goal of $5000 for my GoFundMe and have been blessed to receive about half of my target via donations to this link: https://www.gofundme.com/BBfirefund. My life rebuild project needs more support. My hope is that if you feel called you will share this message with your friends and help me to reach my goal. Donations of all amounts graciously accepted and appreciated.
I am shocked and amazed at the amount of support I have received from my community over the last year. I am so endlessly grateful for the help that this incredible community I live in provides me. I am truly blessed to say that I have amazing people all over the world looking out for me.
Big hugs, blessings, and much love for a big and bright future!
Yours truly,
Brielle Renee Bataille
BLOGGER / SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST / BADASS
Manifestation Media by Brielle Bataille 