Widow of Granite Mountain Hotshot supports families after deadly border wildfire

SALT LAKE CITY — The deaths of three wildland firefighters make the anniversary of another fire tragedy even more somber this year.

On June 30, 2013, the Granite Mountain Hotshots became trapped when winds rapidly shifted while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire. The crew deployed fire shelters, but only one firefighter survived. Nineteen died.

Eric Marsh, 43, was superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. More than a decade after his passing, his widow, Amanda Marsh, said the recent burnover incident at the Colorado-Utah border has deeply affected her and others.

"I am very close to two other widows, and all of us are just beside ourselves right now," she said.

Marsh said grief remains unpredictable.

"I kind of talk about it like riding the lightning. You're sort of along for the ride sometimes," she said. "You know that this is an inherently dangerous job, but you never expect that it's going to happen to your loved one, and so when it does, you're just in shock."

She stays connected with other families who lost loved ones in the Yarnell Hill Fire, including the mother of Cedar City firefighter Joe Thurston.

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Another widow, Juliann Ashcraft, told KSL in 2014 about the lasting impact of the tragedy.

"I still feel broken in a lot of aspects of my life, but as a family we're doing OK," Ashcraft said.

Marsh recalls the overwhelming days following her husband's death.

"There's funerals that have to be planned. Then you come to the end of kind of that busy work… you're left with a big stream of days that are just kind of dark and endless. And that is a really hard thing to face," she said.

In the years since, Marsh has channeled her grief into helping others. She founded the Eric Marsh Foundation, which provides financial, emotional and medical support to families of firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty.

"We are there for the long haul for families. And we go slow and easy," she said. "We give families a lot of grace and a lot of consideration."

Marsh said she wants to make their path forward less hard than her own.

"When ego takes over or agenda takes over, then we completely lose what we're doing," Marsh said. "When blame happens, we completely lose our focus. When we're constantly focused on the ethical treatment of surviving families and we take care of legacy, we will always win."

Marsh planned to meet with one of the affected families Tuesday, the anniversary of the Yarnell Hill Fire.

"I'm grateful to have that opportunity to be useful because today, on this day, where 13 years ago, I lost and all of us lost these 19 beautiful men, it feels so very good to be useful," she said. "It feels so good to have a way forward that wraps someone else in love."

She also had a message for the greater community.

"The entire West is as dry as can be and burning," Marsh said. "When these people become trapped … they don't have a way out. So take care of your property and then leave when you're told to leave."

The Eric Marsh Foundation* is collecting donations for the families of the firefighters killed in the recent incident, as well as for two injured crew members. Marsh said recovery will take time for everyone affected. To donate to those impacted by the Rifle Helitack crew loss, Marsh said write "helitack" in the donation field.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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