6 Months to a Granite Mountain Family Member

This was shared on Facebook and I thought it was important to post it here for those of you who do not do social media.

'6 months ...... What is 6 months? 6 months no hugs, no text messages, no phone calls, no smell of smoke in their homes, no smiles, no laughter, no I love you's ..... What is 6 months? Tonight December 29th is the Eve of the 6 month anniversary of a tragedy so hard to comprehend it cannot be defined. 6 months? Can it be? 3 babies born and many memorials attended. 6 months ....... What has been accomplished in these 6 months we can say not very much if we are talking change for our future and current Wildland firefighters but everyone is trying and working hard to ensure we never have this happen again. Has anything been learned in 6 months .... Yes we have learned a lot ... We have learned that our 19+1 heroes should have never been where they were in the first place along with fellow hotshots from the Blue Ridge Hot Shot Crew, we have learned that all hot shots have an inadequate way to survive a burn over, we have learned that there were many many mistakes made that day, we have learned that a town that once was united quickly turned and became divided .... But with all that said what have we really learned in the last 6 months ..... I can only speak for the things I myself have witnessed and my fellow admins will agree I am sure .... In the last 6 months from the conception of this page I have seen those who do not know these men personally come together, I have watched this page grow from a few wonderful heartfelt words to millions of condolences and shared thoughts, I have seen the community of Prescott stand tall and for many support these men and their families without question never once turning their back, I have watched and entire nation come together to show love and support to 3 expectant mothers and shower them with love, I have watched a cemetery once barren come alive with grass and sun where a cloud once was. I have watched a world stand up and say "We Have You" ..... I watched a survivor be embraced instead of blamed. 6 months I watched well WE have watched our FAMILY grow! In 6 months I watched the entire world stop and without question without hesitation open their arms and embrace these 20 families as if they belonged to everyone. Is it easy NO, has it been easy NO, is it a work in progress YES! With each and everyone of you we can make change happen and we can continue to lift up these 20 families and still say "WE HAVE YOU"! Though the loss of these men will forever scar our hearts and souls their deaths will not go without helping the world change! One lesson I think many of us have learned is the world is still filled with amazing people who truly have in them what made these men great! What is 6 months?'

This was posted by the mom of Billy Warneke, Kathie Purkey and I am not sure if she is the original author of this, but I wanted you to feel what the families do and realize what you do is very important!