Shelley Sykes

My son Rory had a cottage on our 17-acre property built especially for him because he has cerebral palsy. He always said, "It isn't what happens to you in life that counts. It's what you do about it."

When it was announced that they wanted us to evacuate, Rory's feet swelled up with the heat and he said, "Leave me." Of course, being a mama, I'm not going to leave my boy by himself.

I saw cinders on Rory's cottage roof. I said to him, "If it gets hot or you feel uncomfortable, just sit in the shower." Then I raced to get help. But they said they had no water.

When they came back they told me I needed to identify Rory. I was just numb.