Back from the ashes
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 15 years, 1 month AGO
<p>Tom Cosson enjoys the sunny weather Wednesday in front of a trailer that was donated to him after his trailer was destroyed by fire Feb. 25 at the Bambi Trailer Park on Government Way.</p>
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | March 10, 2010 8:00 PM
COEUR d'ALENE - Last month, Tom Cosson didn't have much to his name but for the clothes he wore.
A fire in late February took what little he had.
"I lost everything," the 51-year-old said, as he rattled off a list that included his trailer, clothes, furniture, medication and family heirlooms. "It was all gone."
The bearded, gray-haired man was more upbeat Wednesday as he sat outside his new trailer at Bambi RV Park, 3113 N. Government Way.
Not only did he have another fifth-wheel to call home that was donated to him, he was on the receiving end of clothes, furniture, bedding, food, and even curtains.
His landlord, neighbors, friends, family and the Red Cross rallied to get him back on his feet.
"I've got bags of clothes in there I haven't even gone through," said Cosson, who is disabled and uses an oxygen tank. "I'm amazed at a small trailer park how everybody pulls together."
The 35-foot trailer he had lived in for about a year caught fire the morning of Feb. 25. Cosson and a grandson fled as it burned, but were not hurt.
"My grandson woke me up and said, 'The house is on fire,'" Cosson said.
Sheila Byers, manager of the trailer park, said residents don't have much money, but do their best to look after each other.
"This is a very poor trailer park, but they take care of their own," she said.
Cosson said it feels wonderful to have the trailer, which was donated by Coeur d'Alene resident James Moore.
"They gave me everything I needed," he said. "I'm pretty much set."
But more than the things he received, he said, it was the outpouring of goodwill that meant the most.
"I'm still in a daze over it," Cosson said.
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