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Grateful in Glen Ellen

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Sonoma Valley Sun
My husband and I are fairly new to Sonoma County, we purchased the most beautiful retirement home in July in Glen Ellen. We were enjoying the wine country life, settling in, making friends and having visitors. On that fateful October day we had such fun at the Glen Ellen Faire and at the Studio D pop up dinner, only to be alerted by neighbors at 2 am that Trinity Oaks was on fire. We barely escaped with the clothes on our backs, and it was completely devastating a few days later  to learn we not only lost our lovely home, but all it’s contents; more than forty-three years of our life together burned in that fire.
So many people have come to our aid from this community, but I would be remiss to not give special thanks to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Consultant, Sheila O’Neill. We know Sheila through our realtor, and as soon as she knew we lost our home, she offered her gorgeous two bedroom Sonoma condo. She even picked me up one day and took me to Macy’s to buy a new sofa and chair. She wanted us to be comfortable. She ordered a new stackable washer and dryer so I wouldn’t have to go up and down stairs to the laundry room because of my bad knee. She had new window shades put in to give us more privacy. She said we could stay a week; a month or two years. She didn’t take any payment from us until December when the insurance company finally came through with the funds. She did this all with a giving heart and asked nothing in return. She helps unselfishly with a heart of gold and is like a guardian angel. I don’t know how we will ever repay her. She is an exceptional person and we are more than grateful for what she has done to help us.

Our Trinity Oaks neighbors have all lost so much, but we have bonded together to help each other in a way that is unparalleled to any I have ever known. Although we only lived in our home for fourteen short weeks, we love this community and the kindness and support we give each other. This is why we have chosen to rebuild our home in Glen Ellen. To begin again is very difficult at our age but because of people like Sheila O’Neill, and our neighbors, the process with be a little lighter. From the bottom of our hearts we thank Sheila O’Neill for the unconditional love, trust and kindness she bestowed on us in a time of great need.  She represents the true spirit of this community.

I have learned through this experience that we must feel pain before we can let go of the heartbreak. It will not be easy, but we will survive this. My wish for this holiday season for all the fire victims is to feel less pain and be thankful for the community support we all share. We are stronger together.

Blanche and John Mundy, Glen Ellen




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