Hotshot’s widow offers gratitude
Community has rallied to assist grieving family
Roxanne Warneke took flowers to the Marana Cemetery on Tuesday morning, replacing those on her young husband’s grave with a new bouquet sent by a fellow Marine who had served with him in Iraq. Next to the flowers, she propped up a different picture, one where Billy Warneke is hiking, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, instead of any picture where he is wearing his Marine uniform or firefighter’s clothing.
That way, Roxanne said, “if anyone else ... would want to go out to visit him today, they would see him in his element.”
Tuesday marked one month since 25-year-old Billy Warneke and 18 fellow Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters were killed in an out-of-control wildfire near Yarnell.
It was also the first time Roxanne Warneke, 25, had spoken to the media since her husband died; Roxanne wanted to publicly thank people for their kindness and support, not only as her family grieved, but also as they looked ahead.
“I’m not the only one griev- ing,” she said. “The community is grieving, as well.”
The community has put together a series of fundraisers to help the family. Tuesday night, local firefighters were acting as wait staff during a dinner benefit at the Station Pub & Grill, which is just outside Marana and next door to Northwest Fire Station 34. Tips and 20 percent of the proceeds from the night will be donated to what has been dubbed the Warneke Project.
During dinner, Chandra Stachurski, who did not previously know Roxanne Warneke, walked up behind her with two large gift bags, one green and one yellow, both with polka dots.
“Hi, I just brought you a few things,” Stachurski said. Roxanne is 20 weeks pregnant with her and Billy’s first child, a girl.
“I have a baby” — Stachurski gestured toward a towheaded boy in a high chair, nearly 2, named Dustin —“so, if you need anything, let me know.”
A deep breath, a warm hug, a quiet thank you. One in a string of so many.
On July 19, Northwest Fire District crews raised more than $23,000 for the Warneke Project by selling T-shirts and collecting donations in firefighter boots outside Culver’s. The restaurant also donated 20 percent of the day’s sales.
Another fundraiser is planned for Saturday — the “Battle of the Bands for Billy” — from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Old Father Inn, 4080 W. Ina Road in Tucson.
At first, the idea was to raise enough money to finish renovating the small manufactured home on 41⁄ acres in nearby Avra Valley that the Warnekes had purchased in April, the same month that he joined the hotshot crew. He was working on the renovation, laying tile, when he was called to fight the fire in Prescott.
But so many people have volunteered to help, including neighbors and firefighters, landscapers and contractors, and so many donations have poured in that now, the plan is to pull down the mobile home and build something more solid for Roxanne and the baby. She is due in December.