Community steps up to help double amputee Afghanistan veteran

Wounded veteran's Tazewell home destroyed in fire
ABC News 6
By ALEXIS ZOTOS
6 News Reporter
Posted: Feb 17, 2014

TAZEWELL (WATE) – A Valentine's Day fire destroyed the home of a wounded veteran and now the community is stepping in to help her rebuild.

The flames broke out at Cpl. Sue Downes' home in Tazewell late Friday evening.

"That's my life up there, that's 15 years go my life in that home, my kids' memories, their everything, our everything," said the 33 year-old veteran.

Cpl. Downes lost both her legs in Afghanistan in 2006 and now she and her family have lost almost everything.

When she came home to see her home in flames Friday night, her thoughts quickly turned to her four legged family.

"Just let me see my dogs, just let me see my dogs are out," she recalled pleading to firefighters.

Her retired service dog Lila survived, along with another pup Max survived, but her daughter's Chihuahua perished in the fire.
read more here

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