Community support amazes

"There are just so many people to thank, so many people who have been so kind, so generous, we still feel overwhelmed by it all."

Willem Bronkhorst and his wife Madelein say the support given to them since a fire destroyed their Broadway house last June has been "just incredible".

"For us, who have only lived in the town for two years, to have so many people really care, really go out of their way to help us, that was one of the most amazing things. I don't know that it would have happened everywhere, Stratford seems to have some really generous and caring people."

The fire, caused by an electrical fault, consumed their house quickly, leaving very little to be salvaged. When the Stratford Press visits the family in their new house, four-year-old Amelia is holding a doll, which her father found in the debris a few days afterwards.

"While she was away I cleaned the doll up. It had always been her favourite, went with her everywhere, so it was really important to me that I could fix the doll."

Willem says while his wife and their two children, Amelia and Willem (6) went to South Africa to stay with family soon after the fire, he stayed in Stratford to start the process of rebuilding their life here.

"Thanks to our insurance company being so helpful and understanding, I was able to organise our new house."

Willem says while their insurance policy stated rebuild, the company was happy to agree to them selling the land instead and buying a house elsewhere in Stratford.

"It is a lovely house, but we haven't made it a home yet," says Madelein, who says she still finds herself going to the wardrobe to get an item of clothing that was lost in the fire.

"You just forget, you are used to having certain things, and it is habit. Each time I do it, it hurts a bit, a reminder of what we have lost."

On a positive note however, her wedding rings survived, they were found intact in a jewellery box in the house.

"That was amazing to have them back, I never thought I would."

One of the hardest things to have lost, agree Madelein and Willem, are the family photographs. Empty frames sit on a table, waiting to be filled with new memories as they family continue to rebuild and move forward.

Madelein says while both children are traumatised from the fire, their recovery has been greatly helped by the support of their school and kindy along with "the kindness of people they didn't even know, the toys they were given, they are really loved and played with".

The children are settled in their new bedrooms but both remember the fire. Willem, who was due to have his birthday party the day of the fire, doesn't talk about it much, other than to say "it wasn't really fun, my motorbike burned", when asked. His father was able to salvage his treasured scooter from the debris, and spent hours restoring it, right down to getting a new "license" issued by Stratford Primary so it can be ridden at school.

Willem, who was off work at the time of the fire following several surgeries on his hips, says the family has been "truly humbled" by the way the town rallied around them.

"We lost a lot, but we also found something amazing, a community that has surrounded us with support. We are definitely staying in Stratford, we feel so welcomed and accepted."

The Bronkhorsts say thank you.