Lucinda

(Excerpt)

11-year-old dies from injuries suffered in house fire

Posted: Feb 03, 2011 6:40 AMUpdated: Feb 07, 2011 10:45 AM

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - An 11-year-old boy has died from injuries he suffered in a house fire which occurred last week and efforts are underway to assist the family with housing and other expenses.

According to a family friend, Kevin Boardman died at the burn unit at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital in Columbia, SC, late Saturday.

"It's hard, the family is just taking it an hour at a time, one day at a time," Sheryl Jacoppo, a neighbor and family friend of 10 years.  "I think it's going to be like that for a while, they're still in shock."

On Sunday, friends of the Boardman family raked through the charred rubble of their 6200 Springdale Drive home trying to find anything to salvage from the blaze which destroyed most of the home, and killed most of the family's pets.  Well wishers also left teddy bears outside the home in memory of Kevin.

He and three other family members were hurt when a fire ripped through their home around 5:20 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3.

Roger Moody told police around 5:25 a.m., he heard his neighbor across the street yelling for help.  When Moody looked out his window, he saw Bob Boardman's house on fire and Moody immediately called 911. 

When Charlotte firefighters arrived three minutes later, Boardman, his wife Cindy, and their 17-year-old son Timothy, were outside. 

Robert Boardman told firefighters that Kevin was still inside the burning house.

Kevin ran down the stairs halfway, but went back up to his bedroom to check on his animals.  Firefighters found him in his room surrounded by his animals.  They removed Kevin and brought him outside.

The boy was critically injured and the three other family members suffered serious injuries. 

Robert Boardman's co-workers have set up a fund to assist the family with medical and living expenses.  If you would like to make a donation call 704-568-7804, or toll free at 1-866-761-1292.   

As of Monday morning, funeral arrangements are still incomplete.  

Copyright 2011 WBTV. All rights reserved.

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This is Lucinda's family. She's loved and respected by many members of the Etsy community and has had a shop there for a very long time, Designedbylucinda. 


I'm supposed to be writing about what happened and distribute information and what not but I'm just so angry, this is just so wrong. It's surreal. 

When I first read about what happened I cried and cried and then I had to explain to my son, who will be eleven next month what happened and he cried.

He's never heard anything like that or seen his Mom cry. Kids shouldn't die and they shouldn't have to consider death or how awful it must have been and they shouldn't have to comfort their mothers. I shouldn't have to convince my son our house won't burn down. Life is hard enough, this isn't right.

There shouldn't be a family out there, right now, trying to understand or come to terms with what we, as parents, fear the most.


Kids should grow up and move out and make decisions both bad and good, but it's wrong when they die. It's wrong. It's obscene. 

And what do you say? It would kill me? How will you go on? It will get better but it will never go away and you'll learn to live with it? Mothers and Fathers should not have to go through this. How do you go through? Really, that sort of assumes there's another side to come out of. 


This is wrong.

No, you express what you can and walk away feeling like it's nowhere near enough and can't ever be. And then you get pissed and try to be helpful.

So I'm trying to be helpful and Lucinda, I am so very, very sorry. This should never happen. Never. I'm sorry about the pets too, I know that is a huge loss. I can't even begin to express the anguish so many of us feel right now. 

Some of us are good friends, some of us are acquaintances  and some of us just know you from the forum. But most of us are parents and that is a common bond. Hundreds of people you've never met grieve with you. And we'll try and do what we can.

There has been a PayPal account set up for donations for Cindy and her family.

It is:

forboardmanfamily@gmail.com

Cards and small items (I was thinking gift cards as well) can be sent to:

Boardman Family Fund
Knight Communications
10150 Mallard Creek Rd.
Suite 201
Charlotte, NC 28262

The family has asked that clothing or large items not be sent at this time as they are in temporary housing. 

Over the next few days Etsy sellers will be selling goods and donating the proceeds. I will list those items as they come up and include my own. 


UEF FORUM  this will take you to the UEF thread for more information.


Links to Community Efforts & Info -

For ongoing updates, and more information on how to help:
http://unofficialetsyforums.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=announcements&action=display&thread=1581

Community Quilt for Lucinda:
http://unofficialetsyforums.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=etc&thread=1612&page=1

Etsy Thread for Condolences:
http://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/business-topics/discuss/6778589/page/55/



But right now I am going to snuggle with the boy and appreciate what it means that he is still here. Maybe later I can try and understand why another Mother's son is not.