A house fire on Wednesday, April 30 left three properties belonging to brothers Delfino and Leroy Gonzales completely destroyed, but thanks to the quick actions of a local volunteer firefighter, Leroy Gonzales’ life was spared. The fire broke out around noon at the home Leroy shared with his cat, Mittens, in Questa, New Mexico.
Chris Williams, a volunteer firefighter and Army veteran, was in town running errands when he saw a massive plume of black smoke rising into the sky. Without hesitation, he rushed to the scene to help. With no protective gear and running purely on adrenaline, Williams entered the burning structure determined to save a life. Braving intense heat and smoke, he pulled Leroy and his cat to safety.
“I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing,” Williams said. “When I saw Leroy, I knew I had to get him out of there.”
Leroy Gonzales, who lives alone in Questa while his brother Delfino resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, is deeply grateful for the selfless act. “I never realized there is a whole new world of people who care about helping in my time of need. It’s truly remarkable, the outpouring of support,” he said, fighting back tears.
In the days following the fire, Williams continued to assist Leroy. He organized two clothing drives at the Cerro Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post to help provide for the displaced Gonzales. Additionally, Williams facilitated a connection between a local good samaritan, Michael Swaim, and Leroy, who donated a camper trailer to offer Leroy a temporary home.
“This community is amazing,” said Leroy. “I never imagined people I didn’t even know would go out of their way to help me rebuild.”
We caught up with Chris and Leroy at Rosie’s Smokehouse, where the two recounted the harrowing day of the fire and the bond that’s formed since. It is clear that through this devastation, their connection had grown into a deep and meaningful friendship.
Williams remains humble about his role in the rescue and recovery efforts. “I am not a perfect person, and I feel like I am just an average person trying to do the best I can in this world. I want to encourage anyone who reads this story to do the same. Just do good, help others, be a good person,” he said. “I volunteer with my local fire department and when you think of it, you’re not just responding to homes. In a small community like this, you’re responding to your cousins, uncles, aunts—to your family in their time of need. That’s what it’s all about.”
The fire destroyed all of Leroy’s personal belongings, but thanks to the collective effort of local residents and volunteers like Chris Williams, he is beginning to recover.
“I think I found a friend for life with Chris,” Leroy said with a smile. “He’s an angel—he’s kinda manly to be called an angel—but truly, he saved my life and I am so grateful.”
Leroy Gonzales’ cousin Jennifer Gonzales has set up a GoFundMe account to help Leroy rebuild his life following this devastating fire.
A little over $1,800 has been raised as of press time. If you’re interested in donating, visit https://tinyurl.com/42dhxsrh.
Our publication would like to thank Rosie Turpin for allowing us to meet at her restaurant after hours to conduct this interview. Additionally, thank you for gifting Leroy with a generous gift card to your restaurant.
