Home » Archives » "Family's 'year of sadness'"

Family's 'year of sadness'

Jan- 2-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

Link to Full Article
BY CHERYL L. REED, Cicago Sun-Times

An Elmhurst family is homeless after a candle left burning on a shrine to their son -- a soldier killed six weeks ago in Iraq -- set their house on fire.

A picture of Christopher Alcozer marching in a Fourth of July parade and other memorabilia caught fire on the homemade shrine Tuesday night, and flames spread quickly. Many members of the family -- including kids and grandkids -- were upstairs watching a movie at the time. Smoke detectors alerted them and they were able to escape safely.

The absence of injuries was a bright spot in an otherwise horrible stretch for the family, beginning in 2004 when the family patriarch, Jesse Alcozer, lost his job.

"We're still dealing with it all. It's been very hard. It's been a year of sadness. One thing right after another," said his 41-year-old wife, Judy Alcozer, Christopher's stepmom. [...]

DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO:
Jesse Alcozer Family Fund
Community Bank of Elmhurst
330 W. Butterfield Rd.
Elmhurst 60126


Advertisements