An elderly couple who refused to evacuate their home passed away in each other’s arms.
The grieving family members confirmed that Marylin Hileman, 86, and Lyle Hileman, 86, died inside their beloved home after the second-largest wildfire in Colorado broke out.
The couple did not want to leave their home as the fire approached, telling their family that they were in their basement bunker.
Their family said that many friends had offered to help the elderly couple evacuate, with safety officials even driving to their home to take them.
In a statement obtained by the Denver Channel, Hileman’s relatives said: “All offers to leave were refused. At 86 and 84 years of age, their only desire was to be together in the home they loved.”
The statement added: “They were calm, resolute and adamant – they would not leave. They asked Glenn (their son) to call his siblings and let them know that they were in their basement in an area they felt safe.”
One of the couple’s grandchildren shared an update about the situation, saying that they had been “preparing for this since they built the house 50 years ago. Grandpa was a firefighter, so he knew what he was doing. I’m hopeful they’re still okay, just unable to contact.”
“They lived long, wonderful lives, full of joy,” the grandchild added. “And they went together, peacefully, content with their choice to stay in their home. They never wanted to live a day apart. Going together is what they wanted.”
After the bodies were found, the grandchild wrote on Twitter: “Their bodies were recovered this afternoon. They were found in each other’s arms.
“They were together and calm. There is no other way they would’ve preferred to leave this life and certainly nowhere else would have selected as a final resting place.”
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