# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C56zdSpPXPb
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/72590264-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/dda9aab51c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-04-18T22:00:35.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Red Cross (@americanredcross) — https://gondola.cc/americanredcross

## Caption

Could you imagine receiving an unexpected call and learning your home is on fire? That’s what happened to Ann Rofkahr while she was out to lunch with a friend one Thursday afternoon.

“Before heading out, I was outside and around my home and all was in order,” Ann said. “I was in shock and disbelief that my neighbor was telling me that my home of 23 years — 23 years of love and work into it — was going up in flames.”

Ann quickly returned home to find a huge blaze and black, billowing smoke surrounding her house. The winds were so strong that day, that it made it nearly impossible for firefighters to extinguish the flames. A total of 27 neighboring fire departments assisted in maintaining the fire.

While Ann was sitting in the fire truck, she received a call she'll never forget. ➡️ “My phone rang, and it was a volunteer with the Red Cross,” she said. “I knew of the Red Cross because I am a blood donor, but I didn’t realize how the Red Cross helps people in situations like this. The moral support, making sure I was okay, I will never forget that call and what it meant to me. That type of support is what helps one through a devastating loss — in my case, my home.”

On the other side of that call was RedCrossIL volunteer Diane Carter, who experienced Red Cross services firsthand while serving in the military. “I will never forget, as a military service member, how they were there for me when I was deployed and had an emergency back home,” she said. “You never forget that moment, just like Ann doesn’t forget that call she received from us.”

The fire that destroyed Ann’s home started from a pile of mulch that spread to her shed and garage from the high winds. Although it was a tragic loss for Ann, she is grateful for the support she received and can now begin her recovery.

“I was thankful for the clothes on my back, the shoes on my feet, my purse and car, and the incredible outpouring of support I received starting with the Red Cross,” she said. “I am working on being patient as I rebuild my home and encourage us all to be giving and help others — it will all come back to you when you most need it.” ❤️

#RedCross #HomeFires #DisasterRecovery

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## Credits

No public credits are recorded here. This does not identify who made the post.

## Tags

disasterrecovery, redcross, homefires

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