SUPERIOR, Colo. — Austin Janego had been living in the Sagamore neighborhood for four years when his home was destroyed in the Marshall Fire.
As difficult as one fire is, Janego, 29, has now experienced three. He was 19 and living with his mom when she lost her home in Indiana. He then moved back to where he grew up in Florida to live with his father. Then, his father's home in Lake County, Florida was destroyed by a house fire.
Janego lost his third home to the Marshall Fire. He shared this one with his brother, his friend and his brother's girlfriend.
He said the loss feels more personal because the devastation is so widespread.
"Living through this three times, losing everything three times, it makes you really not want to replace much," Janego said. "It kind of makes you want to live minimalist. What clothes do I need? What things do I really want? What things are going to make me happy?"
Janego has lost many valuables in all three fires, including a Pokémon card collection he said is likely worth about $15,000 now.
"That’s why I am hoping this is our last time. I’m hoping that I don’t have to go through this again, because I don’t know if I really could. I’m trying to stay strong and put on a good front, but it’s really hard to stay positive when you just keep seeing more and more negative put on top of you," Janego said.
His brother, Corey Desimoni, had already moved out when Janego experienced his first two house fires.
"You want to tell him that it’s not going to happen again. At the same time, you have to tell him that you have to be prepared for anything," Desimoni said.
Desimoni and Janego were living together at the time of the Marshall Fire. They're relying on each other for support to get through the recovery and rebuilding process together.
"We have always tried to stick together, and it just means a lot to me because he is here to support me in the tough times and emotionally. It’s just one of those brotherly things," Desimoni said.
The two brothers hope this is the last time any of them will go through something like this.
"It is hard not to feel that you just can’t get away from it, that it’s always going to be lingering there, that something is going to be following you," Janego said. "This entire ordeal has really shook our family but also just shows us how strong we are because we are still here."
Janego and his brother are still looking at next steps and are currently looking at purchasing a home.
If you would like to help them financially, click here for their GoFundMe. Donations will go to Janego, Desimoni and his girlfriend.
You can also donate to their fourth roommate with his own GoFundMe here.
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