On Tuesday, June 27, Diane Paton lost her home in a Colorado Springs fire that destroyed 347 homes all told.

By Samantha Bridgman

Diane Paton has found a renewed sense of what is truly important in life.

    A wildfire, started by unknown causes, razed Paton's Colorado Springs neighborhood  the evening of Tuesday, June 27. All told, 347 homes were lost after an unexpected windstorm caused the wild fire to change course and descend upon Paton's home. Paton was evacuated along with her daughter Kitty and their two pets.

    While the family is thankful to have everyone safe and unharmed, the Paton's lost everything –  from clothing to cherished artwork, musical instruments and even the family car.  

    Paton, born and raised in Lunenburg, joined the U.S. Army after graduating from Assumption College in 1985. After four years of service, she took a job with the federal government, eventually settling in the Queen's Canyon area of Colorado Springs, CO.  She and daughter Kitty are still reeling from the experience.

    “I’m doing alright. It’s been shocking and horrible to lose everything. It's impossible to put [the ordeal] into words," said an emotionally and mentally frazzled Paton earlier this week. She told The Ledger during a phone conversation, that she has only been able to return to work part-time in order to take care of the fire's aftermath.

    When the fire began, Paton and her neighbors were evacuated as a precaution.

    "It didn’t seem like there was any direct threat to my home, the police said we could probably come back in a few days," said Paton.

    She watched the live television coverage, waiting for the OK to go back home.

    "It was unbelievable when the winds came up and we saw the fire shift direction," said Paton who could only watch the TV helplessly as the fire raged closer and closer to her home. 65 MPH winds forced fire suppression crews and air support to back out of the area.

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