Family heartbroken after returning to Leaf Rapids to find home destroyed but not from wildfire

Rose Bighetty and her family returned to a nightmare after two and a half months of living in Winnipeg hotel rooms as wildfire evacuees.

“I was so anxious to get home, to Leaf Rapids with my family. And when I walked into my house, my couches were all moldy, my daughter’s room collapsed, so everything that she had in there is gone. My dining room floor is all wrecked. My basement, everything there is mold,” said Bighetty.

After the 14-hour bus ride and a long-awaited trip home, the family found themselves in shock.

“When I walked into my home, I was so heartbroken,” said Bighetty, noting they aren’t the only family experiencing this. 

“We had to come home to a mess. Dead animals. Dead pets. Neglected homes. Some of them can’t even go into their homes.”

Bighetty says houses in the town are already overcrowded, so she, her sister, her children, and her grandchildren, ranging in age from three to 58, pitched a tent in their yard.

“Four families slept in this small tent,” she explained. 

She says she doesn’t know what caused the damage and mold.

Ervin Bighetty, Rose’s son, says the province and the provincially-appointed town administration led them to believe they would help with rotted-out refrigerators, clean-up, and assessments.

“Suddenly, we are where we are today. We’re not getting fridges, we’re not getting the assessments. My mom and my sisters are all outside. It’s not fair,” said Ervin. 

He says he’s reached out to Manitoba Housing in hopes of moving them there temporarily, but has yet to hear back.

CityNews reached out to the province to see if they planned to help the family. They said they are aware of the challenges in Leaf Rapids and are continuing to work on it. They say disaster financial assistance has not been established yet.

In a statement, the Red Cross said, “We continue to have ongoing discussions with government and community leadership on how we can support their recovery.”

In the meantime, the family is not sure what they’re going to do, facing dropping temperatures and a house in ruins in the isolated community. 

“I just need a roof over my head for my children, my grandchildren. That’s all I want.”