Starting Over

A destructive house fire that took place this past sunday has left much of the community pulling together. Iraqi military veteran Albert Monreal, Jr. spent tuesday sifting through ashes. Authorities say an arsonist set his family home on fire this past sunday. Now, the community is coming together to help pick up the pieces. San Angelo Mayor J.W. Lown said, "Yesterday I got a call from Anthony Hooks, a community member here in San Angelo. He was helping organize a clean up effort for this family that experienced this devastating fire. He asked if I could get two dumpstier for them. I called trash-a-way and ... trash-a-way stepped up and we have already had two 30 foot dumpstiers filled up today." The work was done by more than a dozen volunteers from Goodfellow Air Force Base. Room by room, the fire damaged debris was hauled away in a matter of hours. Monreal says he has truly been taken aback with the communities outpouring support. Monreal said, "Beyond words. I can't believe how strangers that we don't even know stepped up and helped us. These people, I don't even know." A special account has been set up at San Angelo National Bank to help the Monreal family raise money for building supplies. If you would like to help out, the account is under the name: Albert Monreal, Jr.