Shelburne County, N.S., resident whose home was destroyed by wildfire calls past month ‘extremely difficult’

The remains of Melissa Nickerson's family home in Thomasville, N.S., is seen in this photo. (Sarah Plowman/CTV Atlantic)

As Melissa Nickerson stands in front of the shell of her former home in Thomasville, N.S., it’s hard not to become emotional.

“I’ve been very good. But when you think about what you’ve lost, it’s hard,” she said.

The white fence at the front of the property stands untouched. The brick chimney is still upright. Two small blue rocks next to the front garden are also OK. But the bungalow where Nickerson and her husband and two children lived since 2011 is destroyed.

All they could salvage was a small ceramic Christmas tree, part of a book and an art project her daughter made years ago.

The Nickerson family’s home was one of 60 homes and cottages destroyed in the Barrington Lake wildfire in June. Dozens of other structures such as sheds are also gone across Shelburne County.

“The past month has been extremely difficult but I’ve seen my community come together and support us all that have lost their home, or property," Nickerson said. "Some people lost their barns. Some people lost their cars. Then there’s those of us who lost all of our possessions and our belongings."

Nickerson considers herself lucky in a way because her family still has a roof over their heads. They’re living at their cottage for now and someone in the community offered a house to rent. Their destroyed bungalow was also insured.

“There are several people in the community who didn’t have insurance who have to start from scratch,” she said.

Still, the Victorian Order of Nurses home care worker of more than two decades admits this past month has been very difficult and knows the process of rebuilding is also a mental journey.

“It’s a difficult process to think about rebuilding. Thinking about getting a new house. What’s that going to look like?” Nickerson said. “Do I want a new house? No. I’d love to have my old house with my stuff. But going forward I have to come to terms that that former life is gone.”

Over the past month, Nickerson has faced a mix of emotions. Devastation over losing her home. Happiness over the kindness of strangers and her community.

The Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena in the Municipality of Barrington is a symbol of the support her community received. Clothes, food, gift cards and more poured into from all over the province. On Friday afternoon, the arena was still full of piles of donated items from baby items to clothes and toiletries.

“We’ve had support from our family, friends, businesses, people that I don’t even know have supported us, helped us out,” she said. “We’ve received money, gift cards, clothing.”

Nickerson said the day she learned her house burned down, two ladies found her family at their cottage to give them clothes and gift cards.

“And at that time, one of those ladies was from this area and she didn’t know if she had a home or not, but out of the kindness of their heart, came to give us stuff,” Nickerson said.

Since the wildfire began, Nickerson has been off work as a VON and notes her employer has been very understanding.

“They realize the mental journey that I’m on and I’m looking forward to going back to work but I’ve just had to have some time to deal with this process," she said.

Nickerson says she’s extremely thankful for all of the support, kindness and love her family has received thus far.

“And for people to keep those of us who lost everything in their thoughts as the days and months go on,” she said.