 Announcing their engagement at a Red Cross shelter in Fort Garland. Photo by Roger Enix/American Red Cross Story by: Roger Enix The Red Cross shelter in Blanca-Fort Garland hosted a couple with a true love story today (July 4th), undeterred by the Spring Fire. Steven Williams, his family, and his girlfriend – Brittney Brewer – were visiting Colorado from Tennessee when bad luck and bad timing interrupted Steven’s careful planning. While camping on family property in Forbes Park, the Spring Fire began burning through the area, causing Steven and his group to quickly evacuate. They left their tents (which survived somehow), grabbed some critical items – but left without many of their non-essentials – including all of their hiking gear in a nearby structure that was lost in the fire.  Newly engaged Steven and Brittney stand in front of a Red Cross supply trailer in Fort Garland. Photo by Roger Enix/American Red Cross Fortunately, they all made it out safely. And fortunately for Steven, he made sure to grab the engagement ring he was planning to give Brittney during a planned hike up nearby Blanca Peak (the 4th highest summit of the Rocky Mountains). With their hiking gear lost, so was the opportunity to propose to Brittney on the Blanca Peak summit. Steven proposed to Brittney during their Spring Fire evacuation anyway – an announcement that was cheered by fellow evacuees at the Red Cross shelter during the 4th of July dinner cookout when people heard their news. Steven and Brittney are planning to be married this fall after returning to Tennessee. The Spring Fire certainly changed plans for many, many families but failed to stop this story of true love.
If you would like to help the Red Cross help those affected by disasters like the Colorado Wildfires please donate to Red Cross disaster relief at this web site where your donation will be matched by a grant from Alpine Bank: https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/alpinebank-pub.
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17Jul