Copeland Family Fire

Tom Kerr, Jr. (7:21am EST, Sunday, 1/9/22) I received some updates from Julie and Whitney last night. There is discussion among the doctors that Kyle may have had his last surgery. His mending has been significant, and we are hopeful that it may continue without having any more surgeries. And yes, hearing that was a Rocky moment. Pepper had her breathing tube removed and has been able to enjoy some ice chips. The nurses even promised her a popsicle! I am trying to imagine what the anticipation must be like for her. I am trying to understand how incredible a popsicle would feel and taste for her. When Julie called last night, Krew was resting from a surgery. The doctors removed a rectangular patch of skin from his right thigh and used it as a graft for his hands. Shortly after the surgery, he developed a fever that reached 104. But after removing his blankets and some icy sponge baths, his fever fell to 102. I am not sure if it is the angle of this photo, but I think Krew is growing! He...

From The  Copeland Family Updates:   On Friday, at the request of the family, a group of wonderful people from Dammeron Valley, headed by Gloria Boberg, head of the nonprofit, Big Ocean Women, converged on the burned-out wreckage at the lot it’s being stored in St. George, Utah to try and salvage any person possessions that may have survived the fire and explosions . Rebecca Leavitt Ivatt was there and this is her record of the day along with her photos. 🙏🏻 Copeland Motor Home Salvage, Friday, 1/7/2022 At about 1:30 PM I got a text message from Gloria, the President of an amazing service-oriented group called “Big Ocean Women”.  We are the St. George, UT Cottage but many of the members live out in rural pocket communities, myself in Dammeron Valley. Gloria, also of Dammeron Valley, texted to advise that Whitney Copeland had sent a message to Janie of Brookside, UT, one of our newest Big Ocean Women (BOW) members, that the insurance company covering her family’s burned a...

Tom Kerr, Jr. (11:40 EST, Friday, 1/7/22) Even though it is early in Las Vegas, I was able to speak with Whitney and Julie this morning. Both of them sound exhausted. Between Gayle, Greg, Julie and Whitney, they take turns and rotate through the three rooms, ensuring there is someone near 24/7. Each gets a break on occasion to find a place to sleep, clean up then jump back into the rotation. Because of hospital rules, no one can take their place. Whitney stated that the nurses, doctors and staff have been unbelievably helpful, supportive and kind. She even stated that the lady that comes to clean the rooms and empty the trash began weeping as she spoke with Whitney. Then she held the hands of Whitney and Kyle and in the words of Whitney, "offered the most touching and profound prayer for the family." I was able to get more detail on Pepper. I know that so many of you, like me, are anxious to hear how things are following the report of last night. Pepper is resting. They have ...

Tom Kerr, Jr. (9:09 pm EST, Thursday, 1/6/22)  I did not get much detail today and have little to report. I suppose we can expect progress to slow and milestones to be less frequent. I would also guess that since I have heard little, that Whitney, Julie, Gayle and Greg are feeling exhausted. I do know that last night, Pepper went in for surgery at 3pm PST, much later than was anticipated, and was in surgery for several hours. I also know that when she came out of surgery, the doctors had concerns and so Pepper was returned to her room to be sedated once again and to have the breathing tube reinserted. I can't say with certainty what the prognosis or concerns were, but there was mention of the burns being deeper than originally recognized and signs of infection. Krew was moved into a bed instead of a crib. Now Whitney can lay down beside him and he is able to find more comfort next to his mommy.  Kyle's dad, Greg, reported earlier today that it was a good day for Kyle. His repo...

Tom Kerr, Jr. (7:06 pm EST, Wednesday, 1/5/22) My phone rang this morning at about 10am EST, with Whitney's face on the screen. That's pretty early for Las Vegas. When I answered, she said hello and said that Kyle wanted to talk with me. It's the first time I have heard him speak since the fire. I could not recognize anything about his voice. The tone, timbre, cadence, inflections; everything about his voice was different. It was a high-pitched squeak, and he had to pause to form the words, and strain to say them loud enough. It's obvious that his vocal cords need healing, too. I was able to understand him, but there was nothing about that voice that sounded like Kyle to me. Even though his voice was strained and difficult, we were able to talk for a few seconds. He assured me that he was good and that things are moving in the right direction. Whitney reported that Kyle is able now to get up from his bed on occasion and make his way to a chair in the room. A pretty fine...

Whitney (7:40pm PST, Tuesday 1/4/22) Kyle has been very anxious dealing with past PTSD, medical trauma and anxiety. He has a great team of therapists and nurses willing to help him out with his struggles and we are so grateful! He has bandages all over his face and currently can only open and see out of one eye, the other is still too swollen. Kyle is scheduled for surgery tomorrow 1/5. He will have cadaver skin removed from his hands and possibly be ready for skin grafts for the backs of his hands. He is so happy to be off the ventilator and able to drink and eat! He has OT & PT everyday and he was able to get up and walk to a recliner in the corner of his room. He was able to sit there for about 30 minutes today. His mood is very gentle and humble. He is filled with gratitude.  Pepper had her breathing tube removed last night 1/3, and oh it’s been glorious! She is having slight issues swallowing so they have held off on giving her food and water until her speech therapy (in c...

Tom Kerr, Jr (9:16 pm EST, 1/4/22)  Tonight, was an amazing night for me. At about 5:30pm, I was standing in front of the refrigerator, wondering which one of the leftovers sounded best for dinner. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. A young man delivered a pizza and wings from the best pizza joint in America, Stefano's Pizzeria. He said that they heard I might be lonely. I determined that it was Whitney who had arranged the delivery by calling Amanda. Thank you, Amanda at Stefano's.  In a talk given by David A. Bednar, he pointed out that the defining characteristic of Christ was His selflessness and how He always thought of others regardless of the pains He was enduring. When I determined that it was Whitney that had made that phone call to ensure I had dinner, while enduring all that is going on in her life right now, I immediately thought of Elder Bednar's teaching. I love you dearly, Whitney. But that is not the best part. Something even more remarkable happ...

You never know what life has in store... be sure you take time with those that are the most important and near and dear to your heart. LOVE THEM. SNUGGLE THEM. STUDY THEIR FACE. Everything can change so fast. So grateful Kyle, Pepper, & Krew are getting the care they need. Seeing them is hard but reminds me....We can do hard things.....We can do really hard things.

 From Whitney: I contemplated sharing these, and decided it was ok. They are so beautiful to me. This may allow some of you some comfort in feeling closeness. Others this may be too hard to see, I apologize if it is. Just know this is temporary and it will be a process.  Krew Pepper   Kyle

Macey Jones: The Copeland family is so special. Here is the latest update 💕 Kyle woke up and shared what he remembers. Whitney: Yesterday, Jan 2 I had my first chance to talk to Kyle since the events of the tragic accident last Monday.  There was a steady hour long conversation that was so good and rich. I’d like to share some of our experiences thus far.  I’m in awe at the amount of trust Kyle has in my abilities. We spoke a bit about roles. Kyle kept saying how he knows his role was to get the kids out, that he showed up as a dad, and dads protect. Then he went into my role as a mother, saying it is then my job to nurture and heal.  I will forever be grateful that Kyle made it to the bus first. I’m still questioning how that happened, as I went running first and had a good 10 yard head start. That will remain a mystery. I honestly don’t think I would have made it back out of that bus, which means there would have been three of us tragically lost in the fire. I can feel...

  Whitney (3:25 pm PST, Sunday 1/2/22) Krew’s surgery went well. His doctor took another layer of skin off his whole face. The incisions that were made in the first surgery (to allow the skin to swell) have now been sutured up with self-dissolving stitches, and a fine layer of HIS skin has been sprayed over his hands, leg, and arms. The doctor wants to see him back in surgery potentially Friday to do more on his face. Krew’s facial burns are the deepest of the three of them.  We had a scare about 10 minutes after he returned from surgery. Krew’s breathing tube inadvertently pulled out. The staff acted so quickly. About 15 people were in that tiny room, including two doctors and the anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist, Devon, acted quickly and precisely enough that there shouldn’t be any issues with brain damage due to lack of oxygen. He is stable and resting now.  Pepper is getting all of her bandages changed now. Her doctor took a look at her and was so pleased with ...

  Whitney (11:23 am PST, Sunday 1/2/22) Kyle is off the ventilator! He’s doing so good. He still cannot open his eyes and his hearing is off, making him a bit disoriented, but he is talking and asking questions. I asked if he was in pain and he said, “Who cares? How are my kids?” It is so good to hear his voice. Krew is still in surgery.

The Copeland Family Updates (Janie Hawley) 1/1/2022 4:37pm Update on needs: There are some items added to the Amazon list. There are a few clothing items on there for Pepper, but we are thinking it might be best to wait a few weeks until she is awake and can help us pick out clothing she likes. She is turning 12 next month and is beginning to really have opinions on what she likes to wear.  Whitney said if you're looking for ways to continue helping, self-care items would be greatly appreciated (massage gift cards, movie theater gift cards, restaurants etc.). She hopes to have her other kids visit her in the upcoming weeks and would love to do "a self-care day" of fun things with them.  Update on the Copelands: Pepper did great in her surgery yesterday! They removed all of her burnt skin which took a little over 6 hours. We are so grateful for the doctors who stood over her body for 6 hours tediously taking care of her. We have heard the doctors say with each of the Copel...

Tom Kerr, Sr: I hardly know how to report this. This morning, these are the photos Julie took of our sweet Pepper, Krew, and Kyle. Pepper is mostly covered to keep her warm after surgery. The little hand belongs to Krew, and the puffy, blistered lips are Kyle's. You can talk about someone being hospitalized with burns, but until you actually see them, it may not register as to how devastating it can be. This family has a long hard year in front of them. Your help in any form will be greatly appreciated. Please follow the links on the left column next to the home page photo and contribute what you can to help. Pepper after surgery Krew's little hand Kyle's blistered lips

  Macey Jones: More items have been added to the family's Amazon registries. It is beyond overwhelming the amount of people reaching out and asking what they can do to help. I'm so grateful for the inspiration my family had to make a list which then became an Amazon registry. It has helped give us an answer to all of you amazing people who ask what you can do to help. It has given me a task that makes me feel like I'm able to help Whitney, Kyle, Pepper, Kade, Emree and Krew. It has created organization out of chaos. Life continues to teach me that no single person is above heart ache and pain. God knew this life would be difficult and yet he sent us anyway knowing the growth would be greater than the pain it takes to get there. Just like a seed who has to break out of a hard situation (hard shell and complete darkness) the after math is more beautiful than we ever could have imagined. There is more growth in affliction. There is more Christ like love and comfort in afflicti...

The Copeland Family Updates (Janie Hawley) 12/31/2021 9:30am Update 12/31 at 9:30 am from Greg Copeland, Kyle's father who is at the UMC Burn Center in Las Vegas with Whitney, holding vigil with their family: "The continual outpouring of love and support from so many, in ways both great and small, is quite overwhelming and truly appreciated. Earlier today Whitney was able to spend some time with Kyle.   Afterwards, she reported that, “I sat with Kyle, and they lowered his sedation in order for him to hear my voice. He stirred a little and I was able to tell him I was there, and his kids were all safe and being taken care of.   I asked if he could hear me, and he squeezed my hand over and over. They sedated him shortly after. I loved feeling his fingers squeeze mine ♥️.” This afternoon, Whitney had a tender moment with Pepper.   While it’s difficult to decipher her limited lip movements, when Whitney and Pepper can actually communicate it is a joyous moment fo...

Whitney Copeland: Can’t get that damn bus out of my mind. That bus that we dreamt about. Schemed. Planned. Then actually bought. It was crazy and we knew it. It consumed our thoughts, time and every extra $ went into it for 2 years. It was what we wanted, what we needed. It was a way for us to simplify it was a retreat. We became minimalists to focus on us, to focus on Kyle’s recovery, to focus on time together, because we knew that’s what’s important. It was our safe haven. It was a beautiful solitude after hardships that this life can offer.  Life can be cruel. I’ve learned without living the hard times we can’t really fully understand the beauty this life has to offer. To everything there is an opposite. We created the opposite of what we had been experiencing and it was beautiful.  We celebrated birthdays, with our uneven cake from baking in an uneven parking lot. Holidays. We laughed at our 3ft Charlie Brown tree with homemade ornaments and lights that Krew & Emree p...

Whitney Copeland: I just had a tender moment with Pepper. It’s difficult to decipher only lip movements so when we can communicate it is a joyous moment for both of us!  She was asking about the bus. And everything on it. I asked her if she remembered that the bus was on fire. She said yes, then asked what about everything? I said everything was burnt and lost in the fire. But everyone in our family got out and is safe. I then asked if she wanted to know about a surprise. She said yes. I told her that someone bought her an iPod touch and that they are mailing it here. She said, who? I told her I didn’t know and she smiled so big I thought her face might burst. Immediately after she asked, what about Kade? I said he got a new switch. What about Emree? I told her she got a new tablet and Krew did too. What about you? I have my phone and it still works! Daddy? I told her daddy will get a new phone. She nodded her head and looked very content. I love her. I love that even in a sedated ...

Addey Kerr: Here is an accumulation of all of the accounts of everyone I've heard from that night. Kyle and Whitney were outside the bus hitching the bus to their trailer. Kyle was kneeling working on it and Whitney was holding the flashlight. Pepper and Kade were in their bunks. Kade was reading and Pepper was using her new iPod Touch. Krew and Emree were in playing on the floor isle towards the front of the bus. They began to hear a propane tank leaking which Emree described as "the sound of water" but was the whistling noise of leaking fumes. This caused Pepper to look over the top of her iPod and yell, "Oh no! Emree go get Mom!" Emree was then off the bus and yelled to her parents that something was leaking and something about a fire when the whole bus engulfed in flames. Whitney screamed and began taking off her coat and running to get to the front of the door. Kyle arrived right behind her and as she took the first step into the bus, he grabbed her arm and...

The Copeland Family Updates (Janie Hawley) 12/30/2021 12:31pm I honestly don't even know where to start with these updates and feel very inadequate. But I will do my best to keep it somewhat organized. Please offer all of the grace you can muster with my writing. I'll begin with the night of the event. I understand that not knowing what is going on or what happened and not having details can feel overwhelming, so I want to share some details and miracles from the night of the event to maybe offer some peace of "knowing". I want to warn you before reading, that this post is detailed and could be triggering if you have experienced similar trauma in that past. Here is an accumulation of all of the accounts of everyone I've heard from that night. Kyle and Whitney were outside the bus hitching the bus to their trailer. Kyle was kneeling working on it and Whitney was holding the flashlight. Pepper and Kade were in their bunks. Kade was reading and Pepper was usi...

Addey Kerr: Hi everyone! Yesterday was a long long day. We missed our connecting flight to Vegas which caused us to wait in the airport for an additional 9 hours. But we made it to the hospital a little after 8pm last night. We got to see our sweet Whitney. She looks fabulous and I teased her about how dang good she looks in all her new clothes from all of you. (Thank you guys. The woman was walking around in a blood stained smoky, burnt shirt for nearly 24 hours after.) She's our Whitney and was making us laugh. When I got on the plane I felt so much anxiety because there was no work to do. With my phone on airplane mode I no longer was able to be making arrangements, calling people and staying busy with getting things donated and provided for this family and just had to sit and wait (probably how many of you feel). But then when we landed and I took airplane mode off, my phone just froze up and received so many notifications for about a minute and a half. We've decided it...