San Antonio, Texas -- On a weekend when millions of Americans were celebrating the independence of the nation, Master Sgt. Jesse Gonzalez found himself fighting to protect his home and family. An unusual sound on Saturday, July 6, alerted Gonzalez to the flames attacking the San Antonio house he’s owned since 2003.
“I just started hearing crackling," Gonzalez said. “It sounded like a fire was going in the fireplace, but I knew we weren't using it.”
“When I ran outside, that's when I saw the smoke and flames coming from a vent near the roof,” Gonzalez explained. “I grabbed a water hose and tried doing what I could with it, but I very quickly realized it was out of control.”
The San Antonio Fire Department arrived minutes later and took over, but despite the intervention from first responders, the damage was done. The fire was ultimately ruled an accident, with the exact cause unknown. Gonzalez and his wife Agnes were safe, but their home was no longer habitable.
At that point Gonzalez, a 356th Airlift Squadron flight engineer and scheduler who has been a 433rd Airlift Wing member since 2006, notified his leadership of the situation, as is the norm for service members. What he didn't realize at the moment, however, is that the call would go beyond a simple notification and turn into a rallying cry for his wingmen in the 356th AS and throughout the 433rd Operations Group, to which the squadron is assigned.
Word quickly spread of Gonzalez’s predicament. The immediate reaction from his squadron and fellow Airmen was to help in any way possible.
“I told my wife, hey, I'm going to run over to his house, see what's going on, see what they need, see what I can help with,” said Master Sgt. Duane Bryant, a 356th AS flight evaluator and acting first sergeant, who has served with Gonzalez for years.
“I've known Jesse for at least 12 years now,” Bryant said. “We worked at the 68th AS together before we both came to the 356th. He's not just a worker here; he's part of the family.”
Bryant, along with other 356th AS members and Gonzalez’s family members, helped secure valuables and other important items after the fire. That was only the beginning of what would turn out to be an outpouring of support.
Leaders at various levels across the 433rd OG called for volunteers to help finish packing up whatever could be salvaged from the home. Dozens of people showed up the day after the fire to help, with at least half of them being 433rd Airlift Wing members.
“It must have been 100 people who showed up to the house,” Gonzalez said. “The cavalry really came, and they helped us pack up that whole house in like two hours. I did not expect that kind of support.”
Knowing the Gonzalez family would face a difficult road ahead, including an increased financial burden, Bryant and other leaders coordinated a gift card collection that yielded approximately $1,500 worth of support. Their goal was to help alleviate parts of the financial strain not covered by insurance, such as increased food costs from not being able to cook meals at home.
Bryant also nominated Gonzalez for support from a non-profit organization called Wish For Our Heroes, which is dedicated to helping service members in times of need. The organization donated $1,500 to assist Gonzalez and his wife.
During the August Unit Training Assembly, 356th AS members Chief Master Sgt. Samuel Strawbridge and Senior Master Sgt. Jesse Talamantes organized a BBQ plate sale to raise funds, bringing in an additional $800 of aid. In total, Bryant estimates that between wing member contributions and the donation from Wish For Our Heroes at least $4,000 has been raised to assist the Gonzalez family.
“Jesse actually just got a volunteer service medal,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Pasternak, 356th AS senior enlisted leader and one of the members who helped Gonzalez pack up his home. “For people who don't know him, he'll give the shirt off his back and anything else that he's got. He gives back all the time.”
“He and his wife are just such great people,” Pasternak added. “To see something devastating like this happen to him really, really hurts. I think every single person here has, at one time or another in the last couple of weeks, stepped up to help Jesse because he's one of those guys that's always there for everyone.”
Pasternak explained this situation has served as a learning moment for him and other leaders, as there wasn’t a clear, existing protocol available on how to help a member facing a situation like this. He said the 356th AS has now developed some internal procedures to be better prepared for future incidents.
Chief Master Sgt. Scot Corkey, 68th AS senior enlisted leader and one of the leaders involved in coordinating support for Gonzalez, echoed Pasternak’s sentiment.
“In this case, it really came around as a grassroots, Airmen helping Airmen, type of situation,” Corkey said. “It's great now, in retrospect, to look back and reflect on what additional resources might be available from higher levels rather than just focusing on giving notice and awareness of what's happening.”
Gonzalez expects the repair to his home will take four to six months to complete. While that process will bring new challenges, he knows he can continue to count on his wingmen.
“I'm very thankful. We are very thankful, my wife and I,” Gonzalez said. “All of the support we've gotten from the wing, it's been just... amazing.”
“When I think about the past few weeks, words like family, foundation, community, strength, support, and togetherness come to mind,” said Agnes Gonzalez, Jesse’s wife. “It’s incredible how the support from so many lifted us up overnight. It’s truly humbling to know that at a moment's notice, we had so many people ready to help us. Jesse and I will always be grateful for the tremendous amount of support and encouragement we received. Thank you for standing by us.”