NIOBRARA COUNTY - When Crystal Zerbe received a call from a neighbor concerning a house fire on Kirtley Road, she had no idea that the personal tragedy to which she was about to bear witness would be her own. The morning of Sunday, September 22 had begun peacefully enough. Zerbe had gotten up early to enjoy a cup of coffee with her mother. All seemed right with the world... until the aforementioned phone call.

Rushing east on Kirtley Road, Zerbe was eventually confronted by a sight that would weaken her very grip on reality.

“I saw my house engulfed in flames,” Zerbe said. “I don’t know that I can explain the emotions that just overtakes you when you see your home engulfed in flames.”                                                     

Fortunately, neither Zerbe’s son, Liam, or husband, Rick, were in the house at the time of the blaze. Yet, that didn’t mean that all of the Zerbe family were spared. While all of Zerbe’s dogs were saved, three of her cats perished in the fire. The loss of the home coupled with the loss of the family pets left Zerbe reeling.

“It’s kind of a whirlwind,” Zerbe said. “I remember calling my sister-in-law and my mom and telling them that I needed help. I was completely overwhelmed. At some point, Rick and Liam showed up. It was just devastating to see our house in a pile of ashes.”

For Zerbe, the “pile of ashes” that used to be her home represents intangible treasures that defy conventional valuation.  

“That was our life,” Zerbe said. “It was our memories. There were family heirlooms of my dad’s and my sister’s and my granddad’s. Then, there’s all of those things that were my son’s. That’s where he grew up. It’s been his home since he was born.”

For Zerbe, it is difficult to understand what has happened. Yet, even more elusive is the answer to the question, “Why?” An investigator from Zerbe’s insurance company has already inspected the site and could find no explanation for the blaze.

“The fire investigator said that he was sorry that he couldn’t give us an answer,” Zerbe said. “Not that it would change any of this, but it would bring that closure. We seek that understanding and want to know the ‘why’ and ‘how’ it happened. But I’ve had to let that piece of it go.”

In the absence of an explanation, the Zerbe’s are left with a nagging mystery that is as surreal as it is baffling.

“I keep expecting to wake up from a bad dream,” Zerbe said.

Yet, for every tragedy, there is a miracle. For Zerbe, that miracle came in the form of Niobrara County’s robust community charity. Local churches came to her aid with sundry forms of support. In particular, Pastor Ty DesEnfants of Prairie Hills Community Church arranged to have the Zerbe family put up at the Airbnb across from Decker’s Market. After spending a few nights in the Airbnb, the Zerbe family was provided with a rental home by their neighbors on Kirtley Road.  

“The community has been fantastic,” Zerbe said. “I am grateful and appreciative and humbled. I can’t express the thanks. There are no words. All I can say is that I truly appreciate everyone.”

In addition to the charity of Lusk, Zerbe is equally blessed by the fact that the fire did not consume everything. Her acreage, barn, and shop were all spared. These surviving properties will act as the foundation for the new Zerbe home, which is presently in the embryonic stage of development.

“We will rebuild,” Zerbe said. “We’ll have to take it a step at a time. The next step will be the clean-up. After that, we will coordinate and search out contractors. We will weigh the options in regard to the rebuilding of the home.”

The shape of Zerbe’s future home has yet to be concretized. While some of the features of the former home might be retained, others may change. In this sense, the emergent home stands as an illustrative analogy for the future, which Zerbe wholeheartedly embraces as the past recedes.

Zerbe said, “My dad always told me, ‘You can’t dwell in the past. It’s not going to change. You don’t have time to live in the past. You need to be in the moment and look forward to tomorrow.’ So, I’m holding on to that because I truly believe that our good Lord doesn’t give us more than He’s willing to walk us through.”

In regard to future assistance, Zerbe says that the adult necessities are all covered. However, she welcomes any donations to her son, whose youthful world is still rising with the embers of his immolated home. Restoring that world is Zerbe’s chief concern.

“My focus is on Liam and rebuilding his little world,” Zerbe said.

Those who wish to make donations can contact Pastor DesEnfants at (307) 216-4414 and there has been a benefit bank account for the Zerbe’s has been set up at Lusk State Bank for monetary donations. The address for the benefit bank account at Lusk State Bank is PO Box 1400, Lusk, WY 82225. There are also donation jars that were made and distributed around local businesses in Lusk.