The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

February 25 of last year was a night the Jaschke family will never forget. They woke to their home in Panoramic View Estates east of Sisters engulfed in flames and were lucky to get out alive. After firefighters battled the fire in sub-freezing temperatures, it was clear their determination and heroism couldn’t save the home or its contents. That was the worst night of the family’s lives — but it was soon followed by some of the best memories they could ever imagine.

The Jaschke family

includes mother Tianna, father Jason, and daughters Sierra and Josie. They also have two cats named Twinkie and Henry and two rat terriers named Lucy and Ackley. Their beloved cat Popeye didn’t survive the fire.

Tianna says living outside of Sisters in Panoramic View Estates, has meant besides the girls going to school in Sisters, they don’t have as much interaction in town. But that didn’t stop caring residents in Sisters Country from jumping into action to help the family.

“We are incredibly thankful and didn’t know how to adequately show our gratitude to the community for the gracious outpouring of love we received,” said Tianna sitting at her new kitchen counter. The whole community reached out, including Sierra and Josie’s classmates. When Tianna and Jason decided to send the girls back to school, they knew getting back into their routine would be good for them. But they couldn’t help worrying that it might be too soon.

“So much of the help and heartfelt gifts came from the kids,” said Tianna. “When our daughters approached the doors of the elementary school, they were met by a big group of friends. Their friends gave them gifts right out of their own closets. There were sacks of clothes and toys. Later, the kids loved seeing the girls wearing the clothes they gave them.”

Local businesses stepped up, too. Three Creeks Brewing Company provided dinners, so the family didn’t have to cook, and Your Store donated gift certificates, so they had warm sweatshirts. “The police officer who showed up on scene woke up his own family and gathered stuff that night and brought us things we needed right away,” said Jason.

Word spread quickly, and Tianna’s dental hygienist co-workers from Bend Family Dentistry pulled through with all kinds of help. People they’d never met brought them stuff, too. Then there were the first responders including firefighters and police officers who worked so hard to try and save their shop. They also helped the family find their animals that night. A GoFundMe was started for the family that helped them rebuild their home.

All of the generosity has left the Jaschke’s feeling grateful and a bit overwhelmed as they try to find the best way to express their thanks to everyone.

When Jason took on the job of doing the demolition it became a way for him to heal. He wanted to make sure the many friends who helped him sift through the ashes and remnants of their home know how much his family appreciated all their help after the fire.

“We found things we could save,” he said. “If we hired someone, they wouldn’t have cared as much as we did and wouldn’t have sifted through everything.”

All that painstaking work was worth it. They found Tianna’s jewelry, including a gold elk tooth that Jason made for her. All of Tianna’s rings including the first ring he gave her were eventually found. The most precious to Tianna was realizing that her computer’s hard drive survived.

“A computer guy told me that the motherboard was salvageable. We got all of our daughters’ photographs,” she said.

She found that when boxes were stored inside larger boxes, they had a better chance of surviving.

The timing for the completion of their new home couldn’t have been planned better. They broke ground on September 27 of last year; exactly one year after the fire, they were in their new home.

“From burned down to brand new in one year’s time,” said Tianna.

The Jaschkes are also grateful for the folks at Adair Homes and their heart-felt customer service throughout the building process.

“We already felt so vulnerable and were unsure what to put back on the property,” Tianna said. “We needed somebody to hold our hands. Adair was able to streamline and help us through the process.”

The Jaschke family wants everyone who showed so much generosity to know how grateful they are, and that the kindness showed by so many will never be forgotten. They’re ready to close that chapter and start a new one. Finally, back in a home they love and can call their own is a blessing they plan to savor for years to come.