Then just a week or so ago, it almost happened to my family - to my brother. He had a carbon monoxide leak in his apartment. He hadn't been feeling well, and wanted to sleep all the time when he was home (and for those of you who know my brother - that isn't TOO abnormal!). The detector went off, the fire engines showed up, he was evacuated from his apartment, and relocated (with his cat!).
Our family story ended as just that...a story. Sarah's story doesn't end as well. Please read the following and protect your family - do it today! And remember this family in your prayers. This Christmas will be especially hard for them.
Dear Friends,
As some of you already know, our family suffered an immeasurable loss over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The reason I am sharing this with you is because it was preventable.
My dear friend Parker Lofgren who I've known since high school, (we skied together and went to each others Junior Proms), became part of my family when his dad married my cousin Mary. Parker, his wife Caroline and their two children Owen (10) and Sophie (8) died from massive Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at a vacation home that they were staying at in Aspen over Thanksgiving. The authorities believe the poisoning came from a malfunction of the gas water heater and snow melt system. There were not any carbon monoxide detectors in the home, so there was no warning.
Please, if you have any gas appliances (water heater, furnace, oven) or combustible (fireplace, oil furnace) units in your home, make sure you have a
carbon monoxide detector for each floor of your home. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas so a detector is the only way to alert yourself.
There are no words to describe our family's loss. Sharing with you the importance of carbon monoxide detectors and the warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning seems like the only thing I can do. I have attached an article with more information on Parker and his family as well as the facts about carbon monoxide poisoning for you. If you can not "click" on the links below, copy and paste them into your browser.
http://www.momlogic.com/2008/12/family_dies_of_carbon_monoxide.php
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_11103516