Help from her ‘family’
Since her house burned to the ground, Gloria Bregger’s employer, coworkers have offered support
Gloria Bregger, a nurse at Sunshine Gardens, was at work on July 11 when she learned that her Spokane Valley house had caught fire and burned down.
Although the cause of the fire remains unknown, Spokane Valley Fire Department initially suspected arson.
No one was home when flames ignited in the one-story home where Bregger had lived for 35 years. Now all that remains of it are beams and charred walls.
“It took everything,” she said. Bregger lost the piano she bought in 1976 after she battled cervical cancer. Her clothes and photos, fortunately, were spared.
Her employer is a family-owned health care facility, started in 1949 by Kelly Rhoads’ grandmother. Rhoads is the administrator of the facility, and he and other Sunshine Gardens employees have been supporting Bregger through her ordeal.
“I think work is helping her,” he said.
Bregger said she has always felt comfortable at work. She said when she started 18 years ago, “It was like walking into home.” Now, her “family” is making it easier for her to cope. “I have my family at Sunshine Gardens. I wouldn’t make it without them,” Bregger said.
Rhoads said Bregger has only missed a day and a half of work since the fire. “But that’s how Gloria is … she’s one of the best,” he said.
Bregger humbly continues to do what she loves: taking care of her patients. She said some patients know about the fire, but she doesn’t want to worry them. “If they bring it up, I’ll talk to them, but I don’t bring it up,” she said.
Her Sunshine Gardens family has helped her clean up the mess of her burnt-down home. On two Saturdays since the fire, co-workers and friends have gathered at the house at 7 a.m., working until after 1 p.m. to fill an industrial-sized Dumpster with debris. A staff member also made lunch for the clean-up crew and brought it to her house.
Bregger said she makes a good living at her job but knew she would need assistance. She paid off her home and was in between insurance policies, leaving her without a safeguard. When she went to Spokane Neighborhood Action Program for aid they told her she earned too much money to qualify for assistance, even though she is now homeless.
“That was surprising to me,” she said.
Bregger and her son are staying with her daughter and three grandchildren. She said that she is comfortable there for now.
Sunshine Gardens is also supporting Bregger financially. They have set up an account at Banner Bank, which will provide her with assistance she’ll need. They are asking the community to come together and donate what they can to help Bregger rebuild her home.