Family Mourns The Loss Of Young Boy Who Died While Holding His Dog In Oregon Fire
A family is left heartbroken after the wildfires on the West Coast sadly took two of their members. 13-year-old Wyatt Tofte and 71-year-old grandmother Peggy Mosso both died Tuesday, September 8, in the wildfires in Marion County, Oregon.
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According to CNN, both Wyatt and Mosso died in a burning car as Wyatt’s mother tried to save them. A relative, Ashley Tofte, explained on Facebook that “Wyatt went back with his dog to save his Grandma. His last moments were heroic and full of love, together with his grandmother and his puppy.” The young boy’s mother Angela, who tried to save them, survived but is in critical condition. Her husband and Tofte’s father, Chris, also survived.
The family also released a joint statement saying, “Our family is devastated by the loss of our kind-hearted 13-year-old Wyatt and his beloved grandmother Peggy in the Santiam Fire in the early morning of September 8th. After a long search for Wyatt, he was found in a car with his dog on his lap, but unfortunately, was not able to escape the fire. Angie is in critical condition with full-body burns,” the statement said. “We want to thank all emergency personnel and people who helped in the search. Our family appreciates the love and support we have received from everyone during this terrible tragedy.”
The page continued:
“What we know happened…the power was out and Chris had left to get a generator. Angie awoke to flames surrounding their home. Grandmother Peggy had broken her leg a week earlier and was awaiting surgery. Angie had loaded her mother in the car and by the time she got Wyatt and the animals, the car was surrounded by flames. Knowing it was life and death and there was no way to drive the car out or save her mother, Angie told her 13 year old son Wyatt to run. It was pitch black outside except for flames and smoke. However, Wyatt did not keep going to safety, and instead went back to the car and tried to drive his grandmother out of the flames. The road was so hot, it burnt the tires up. He was a heroic boy, trying against all odds to save his grandmother. All this happened while his father Chris was desperately trying to get back to his family. Blockades had been set up and in desperation he ran the blockades. He found a woman on the road, her clothes burnt away, feet burnt to the bone, unrecognizable. He put her in the car and said he was sorry but he had to keep going to save his son and wife. Her mouth was black and was not able to speak, but finally whispered “I am your wife.” After desperate searching, the car was found 2 days later with Wyatt in the driver’s seat with his dog in his lap and his grandmother in the car.”
A GoFundMe page has been created to help the surviving family members (the parents of Wyatt) has raised more than $136,000.
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