Family with North Carolina connections lose their home in California wildfires

Southern
California is bracing for rain, which is expected to help firefighters combat
the multiple wildfires ravaging the region. As these fires continue to
devastate communities, one family is struggling to rebuild after losing
everything.

Frederick and
Frances Caple, originally from the Carolinas, spent 58 years calling Altadena,
California, home. That is, until January 7th, when wildfires forced them to
leave everything behind.

“Well I just
couldn’t believe it,” Frederick Caple said. “If anybody had asked me
if this would happen, I would say no.”

The fire quickly
consumed their home. “By the next morning, our house was gone,” Frances Caple
recalled.

The Caples’ story
is one of both loss and resilience. While they raised their children in
California, their roots stretch back to the Carolinas. Frederick graduated from
North Carolina Central University, and Frances from Benedict College in South
Carolina.

When news broke of
their loss, a GoFundMe campaign was set up to help the Caples recover what they
had lost.

“We just have
such a loving family and friends that we’ve developed over the years,”
Frances said. “Plus the fact that somebody said the other day, ‘You’re not
in this alone.’ This was a very, very devastating fire.”

The Caples are now
living in San Diego with family, two hours away from the remains of their home.
Though the loss is overwhelming, their faith remains unshaken.

“We’re Christian.
And no matter what kind of tragedy comes, we know that the Lord is blessing
us,” Frederick  said. “We’ll be able to stand whatever comes.”