Pine Hollow and surrounding community shower donations on fire victim
Mike Mooney, 72, escaped with his health and not much else when an electrical fire destroyed this trailer in Pine Hollow on Saturday, Nov. 13. However, a massive outpouring from friends and neighbors has helped him rebound in recent weeks.
By Tom Peterson
On Saturday, Nov. 13, Mike Mooney was in his trailer at Pine Hollow.
The 72-year-old was cooking dinner. It was about 7 p.m.
“I was making baked potatoes in a toaster oven and overloaded the plugin,” he said. “And it went poof ,and the fire extinguisher would not work. I had too many things on the plug, and the fire went right up the wall.”
Mike sprayed the fire with water, but that just made it worse.
“There was nothing left to do but sit and wait for the fire department,” he said.
He escaped the blaze with his wallet and the clothes on his back.
“No, I didn't get burned,” he said. “I just got out of there.”
When fire crews arrived, propane tanks and batteries were exploding in and around the 24-foot travel trailer.
It was a total loss.
“It even melted the tires,” said Mike’s sister Caroline Richardson, who noted several fire vehicles came on the scene.
After the mop-up, Mike spent the night in a nearby camper shell on blocks staying warm with a borrowed heater from the neighbor who also ran him an extension cord from their power source.
“He was devastated, crying,” Caroline said of the next morning. “He told me he lost everything I had in my life, pictures and mementos. He had no insurance.”
So, Caroline and her husband Al took him Sunday, Nov. 14, to The Dalles to get a phone and personal items like a toothbrush, toothpaste - he basically did not have anything.
Al and Caroline have vacationed at or lived in Sportsman’s Park at Rock Creek for four decades, and Mike had been coming through the area for years, eventually settling at Pine Hollow two years ago.
Mike Mooney taking on the role of Santa in his community.
Mike has a background in repairs. And he has been helping people in the area.
“He gives,” Caroline said. “He has such a good heart. Like when we had temperatures over 100 degrees this summer he helped people get seven air conditioners going. He’s gone around fixing furnaces in the wintertime.”
So, when Caroline saw her brother stripped of all his worldly goods, she reached out to the community.
She posted requests for help on Facebook pages for Sportsman’s Park, Rock Creek, Wamic, Tygh Valley and Pine Hollow.
The outpouring of support blew Caroline and Mike away.
“I probably got 150 messages from people in the community either offering to help in some way or making sure he was ok or offering to donate.”
“They have given him winter coats, boots, shoes, towels, dishes,” said Caroline. “A lady today gave him a mini-refrigerator; one said they would give him a tv/DVD combo.”
Wamic Auto Parts Store owner Wade Delco quickly volunteered his store as a drop-off site for people wanting to donate to Mike.
“In my case, I had a fire two years ago and lost everything business-wise, so I know how the guy feels,” said Delco.
Wade Delco quickly agreed to accept donations at his store Wamic Auto Parts for Mike Mooney. Delco said he understood what Mooney was going through as a fire destroyed his business two years ago.
“One lady knitted him an afghan blanket,” Caroline said. “A lot of people just don’t have a lot to give, especially during COVID, but they are. They are giving with their hearts. Everybody has been so hopeful.”
Caroline said they were working toward finding a new travel trailer for Mike to live in.
Mike’s landlord’s son, Nick, is scrapping the burned-out trailer for Mike and cleaning up his spot for a new one.
“I’ve been thanking people,” Mike said. “I went to the community center and got to talk to a lot of people... The things they are doing I need. I don't have anything - maybe I will get all settled in hopefully.”
“We’ve got a beautiful community up here. Everything is going better than I thought it would. Caroline has been working day and night for me to straighten things out. It’s way too stressful for Al and her.”
