'I can't live without them'
22 July 2010, 07:59
Monica de Beer's last day was her happiest. She was going to Greece for a holiday, and in her last hours, she danced and listened to happy music.
On Wednesday, her husband Shane spoke to The Star about the fire that killed his childhood sweetheart and two children, Rogan, 4, and Milla, 2.
The fire at their home in Orchards, Joburg, also claimed their two dogs, Jay and Lola.
"I can't imagine life without them. I feel so helpless," said a weeping Shane.
On Sunday, the day of the fire, Shane, his father Arnold and his friend Adrian Futcher came to visit.
Monica and Shane danced. Little did he know it was to be their last dance.
Just after 7pm, Monica put Rogan to bed, and she fell asleep in her son's room. Shane put his little girl Milla to sleep.
At about 8pm he walked his friend out, then returned to the house.
"I locked. I then did my usual routine," he said.
Shane went to bed at about 8.30pm, leaving his wife where he found her sleeping next to Rogan.
When he woke up, the house was filled with smoke.
"The next thing, I was standing in the bathroom trying to breathe. I didn't know what was happening. I was struggling to breathe. I heard people screaming outside," said a sobbing Shane.
"I went and looked through the window. At that point I did not have a clue what was happening. I couldn't see anything. The smoke was burning in my eyes. They shouted and told me to get out. But I wanted to go back and rescue my family," said Shane.
As he spoke, he cried as he recalled the night. "I can't imagine life without them. I loved them so much."
Shane climbed through the window, and two police reservists, who had been called to the fire and were directing him from the ground floor, sprayed him with water to protect him from the flames licking all sides of the house.
"I don't know how I got out. I climbed through the window. I slid and I climbed onto the roof. I ran onto the other roof and jumped to the ground."
When Shane leapt to the ground, he saw the flames coming through several windows.
The father-of-two went berserk. He ran from person to person, trying to get anyone at the scene to help his family.
"From the roof, when I was still trying to get out, I could not see the flames. I tried to get them to help me to get them out. Eventually they put me in an ambulance. I can't even remember if the paramedics treated me. But I know they told me to drink a lot of water," Shane explained.
His close-knit family, who comforted him during the interview, also became emotional and cried. Their puffy eyes attested to to their grief. The only time they smiled was when they recalled memories of Monica and the children.
Rogan loved cars and rugby, they said. The family described Rogan as a "sports crazy" little boy.
Milla was "an absolute princess" who loved bling -jewellery, dolls and shoes. She walked around the house wearing high-heeled shoes and any hat she could lay her hands on.
Her bracelet, which was bought for her last Saturday, was hanging on a picture of the two-year-old at Monica's family home.
Milla's grandmother, Jo-Ann Gray, remembered her as an "old soul".
"I went to put her to bed. It was dark. She stroked my head and said 'Granny, don't be scared, it's just the dark'. She was assuring me. When I should be assuring her."
Monica's mother, Roberta Catto, described the call she got telling her that her beloved daughter and grandchildren were caught in the fire.
"This is a call you never want to receive, knowing your child is in a burning house and not knowing whether she will survive."
Monica was going on a trip to Greece with her two younger sisters, Sabrina and Maxine Gray. They had never gone on a trip together.
"It was just the three of us. We were all excited about the trip. We spoke about it all the time."
When Maxine phoned Monica on Sunday night for the last time, she sounded happy.
"It was the happiest time of her life. I could hear it in her voice, she was elated," she said.
She said Monica, while ecstatic, was also heartbroken because she was going to be away from her family for a week. But she was going to leave the children in her husband's capable hands.
"I loved my wife and kids. They are all I had," Shane said.
A memorial service is to be held tomorrow. Five doves will be released in memory of Monica, Rogan, Milla and the two dogs.
On Wednesday, Norwood police spokesman Captain Phillip Maganedisa said the forensic investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a faulty light in the lounge.
On Wednesday, her husband Shane spoke to The Star about the fire that killed his childhood sweetheart and two children, Rogan, 4, and Milla, 2.
The fire at their home in Orchards, Joburg, also claimed their two dogs, Jay and Lola.
"I can't imagine life without them. I feel so helpless," said a weeping Shane.
On Sunday, the day of the fire, Shane, his father Arnold and his friend Adrian Futcher came to visit.
Monica and Shane danced. Little did he know it was to be their last dance.
Just after 7pm, Monica put Rogan to bed, and she fell asleep in her son's room. Shane put his little girl Milla to sleep.
At about 8pm he walked his friend out, then returned to the house.
"I locked. I then did my usual routine," he said.
Shane went to bed at about 8.30pm, leaving his wife where he found her sleeping next to Rogan.
When he woke up, the house was filled with smoke.
"The next thing, I was standing in the bathroom trying to breathe. I didn't know what was happening. I was struggling to breathe. I heard people screaming outside," said a sobbing Shane.
"I went and looked through the window. At that point I did not have a clue what was happening. I couldn't see anything. The smoke was burning in my eyes. They shouted and told me to get out. But I wanted to go back and rescue my family," said Shane.
As he spoke, he cried as he recalled the night. "I can't imagine life without them. I loved them so much."
Shane climbed through the window, and two police reservists, who had been called to the fire and were directing him from the ground floor, sprayed him with water to protect him from the flames licking all sides of the house.
"I don't know how I got out. I climbed through the window. I slid and I climbed onto the roof. I ran onto the other roof and jumped to the ground."
When Shane leapt to the ground, he saw the flames coming through several windows.
The father-of-two went berserk. He ran from person to person, trying to get anyone at the scene to help his family.
"From the roof, when I was still trying to get out, I could not see the flames. I tried to get them to help me to get them out. Eventually they put me in an ambulance. I can't even remember if the paramedics treated me. But I know they told me to drink a lot of water," Shane explained.
His close-knit family, who comforted him during the interview, also became emotional and cried. Their puffy eyes attested to to their grief. The only time they smiled was when they recalled memories of Monica and the children.
Rogan loved cars and rugby, they said. The family described Rogan as a "sports crazy" little boy.
Milla was "an absolute princess" who loved bling -jewellery, dolls and shoes. She walked around the house wearing high-heeled shoes and any hat she could lay her hands on.
Her bracelet, which was bought for her last Saturday, was hanging on a picture of the two-year-old at Monica's family home.
Milla's grandmother, Jo-Ann Gray, remembered her as an "old soul".
"I went to put her to bed. It was dark. She stroked my head and said 'Granny, don't be scared, it's just the dark'. She was assuring me. When I should be assuring her."
Monica's mother, Roberta Catto, described the call she got telling her that her beloved daughter and grandchildren were caught in the fire.
"This is a call you never want to receive, knowing your child is in a burning house and not knowing whether she will survive."
Monica was going on a trip to Greece with her two younger sisters, Sabrina and Maxine Gray. They had never gone on a trip together.
"It was just the three of us. We were all excited about the trip. We spoke about it all the time."
When Maxine phoned Monica on Sunday night for the last time, she sounded happy.
"It was the happiest time of her life. I could hear it in her voice, she was elated," she said.
She said Monica, while ecstatic, was also heartbroken because she was going to be away from her family for a week. But she was going to leave the children in her husband's capable hands.
"I loved my wife and kids. They are all I had," Shane said.
On Wednesday, Norwood police spokesman Captain Phillip Maganedisa said the forensic investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a faulty light in the lounge.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on July 22, 2010
Pretoria
