Appreciation rises from the ashes: Courtney Poirier reflects on the fire that destroyed her home

This post was written by sophomore Courtney Poirier

Courtney Poirier (bottom) and Rachel Poirier (top) at age 7, with their brother Dan and dog, Colby

On the morning of February 23rd this year, the home of two Fredonia Volleyball sophomores, Courtney Poirier and Rachel Poirier, caught fire in West Seneca, N.Y. No people were hurt, but the family is temporarily displaced, without the majority of their possessions, and reeling from the death of their beloved dog, Colby.

Below, Courtney Poirier reflects on the two months that have passed since she received the news that her life had changed:

February 23rd, 2016 is a date I will never forget.  It was a Tuesday, and just like any other Tuesday I woke up at 8:30, went to class at 9:30 and was done at 11.  Little did I know that 45 miles away my family members were going through the worst day of their lives.

At about 12 o’clock I got a text from Coach Braun that said something along the lines of “As soon as possible I need to have a meeting with you both (Rachel and I) in the office.”  After reading this I immediately started to panic.  My first thought was that I was going to get kicked off of the team and I couldn’t figure out why.  I had to wait for Rachel to get out of class at 12:20 so for a good 20 minutes I was pacing back and forth in the locker room trying to figure out what this meeting could possibly be about.

Fire trucks assemble outside the Poirier home in Feburary
on the morning of the fire.

As soon as Rachel and I walked into the office my coach told us to take a seat.  I instantly knew something was wrong, I could hear it in his voice and see it on his face.  My heart immediately started racing.  I will never forget what he said next, “First, I want you to know that both of your parents are fine. However, there was a fire in your home and Colby (my dog) did not make it.”  In that moment it felt as though time had stopped. I started to cry, shake, and rock back and forth.

If you know my sister or I you know Colby was the most important part of our lives.  He was 14 years old, turning 15 on St. Patrick’s Day and in great health for his age.  I was 5 when my parents brought him home.  He was my best friend, I looked forward to seeing him every day when I got home from school for the past 14 years.  He was always excited to see me no matter what day or what time it was.  He brought me happiness that words simply can't describe.  So when I was told that the thing I treasured most in life was gone and that I would never be able to see him again, I felt empty, emotionless, and an overwhelming sense of pain. I obviously knew that Colby would not live forever but I never imagined he would die in a house fire, without giving anyone in my family a chance to say goodbye.

The rest of February 23rd and the days that followed seemed to last an eternity.  However, in those days I started to realize a few things.  After thinking a lot about how much I had just lost, I started to realize what I still had.  Within an hour, my friend from home drove up to Fredonia to stay with Rachel and I, and several of my teammates also arrived to be supportive.  I got an overwhelming amount of texts and phone calls from many people showing that they cared.  I realized that an amazing circle of family and friends is all that I could ever need. Also, I realized that many people are in a situation that is far worse than mine, so I accepted the situation I was given.

The Poirier's kitchen immediately following the fire

I also began to realize that many things I used to think mattered, don’t. For example, my mom didn’t style her hair for four days after the fire. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. My mom is someone who will wear sunglasses and a hat on the car ride home from a hair appointment so people won’t see her hair wet and messy (as if someone who happens to know my mom will drive by, look at our car long enough to recognize her and then judge her hair.)  Yet somehow she willingly went four days without styling it.

This is how I began to feel about a lot of stuff, I simply stopped caring about the stupid things.  I realized that taking a lot of time to pick out an outfit and hoping other people will like it, is a waste of time. I realized that worrying about having my future figured out before I graduate college is a lot of unnecessary stress. Most importantly, I realized that nothing could possibly be more important than your family and your friends, because they are everything.

Even though for the next 7 months I won’t be able to go “home”, I am grateful everyday for my family and my health.  Every day is still a struggle and not a moment goes by where I don’t think about Colby or the events of February 23rd.  However, it has made me learn to appreciate what I have and cherish every moment I’m given, and for that I am thankful.  So please, take a step back, look at what you have, and appreciate it before it’s gone.