Robert McNeal is dealing with the loss of his mother who he says was his best friend. “She was one of the most caring people I have ever met,” she said. “I hope I can get half of that in myself.”
70-year-old Mary Hintemeyer died last week along with her boyfriend, Leo McDermott, and his son, Tom McDermott, when the fire swept through their Napa County home.
McNeal said, “They called the planes off. The next thing you know, it erupted, nobody had a chance.”
McNeal explained his mom drove out to the roadblock but came back for her boyfriend who was in a wheelchair. She texted a photo of the fire, and said they might have to go into the root cellar. Then the text messages stopped.
Mary, Leo and Tom did take refuge in the root cellar, basically a makeshift fire shelter built into the side of the hill, this is where searchers found the remains.
McNeal said, “How scared she was… her biggest fear was burning. She didn’t even want to be cremated. That’s how things ended up.” The only belonging that McNeal could find of his mom’s was a porcelain trinket.
McNeal wants others to understand the importance of heeding evacuation warnings and not to be fooled into thinking you can survive. He said, “Don’t worry about ‘stuff.’ Your family is going to have to deal with the aftermath and that’s worse than losing your property.”
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