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Families are being allowed back to portions of Paradise, devastated by the most deadly and destructive wildfire in state history.
Husband and wife, Edward “Ed” and Dayna Mock, returned to Paradise with their children to find their home destroyed.
“I think the biggest thing I’m thinking about is how long it’s going to take to rebuild,” Mock said. “Because there is so much that has to be cleaned up. There’s nothing left.”
The family searched through the rubble of their home in hopes of finding any mementos, but with no expectations, they said. The couple found a ceramic rocking horse. Though scorched, the find was a family heirloom, given to their son Mason, 4, from his great-grandmother on the day he was born.
Dayna Mock, 31, is originally from Oroville, but move to Paradise with her husband. Inside their burned home she hoped to find a ring and capsule that belonged to her late-grandfather.
The ring was worn by her grandfather and the capsule held his ashes. She says her grandfather played an instrumental role in her life.
The capsule was found, however, burned badly. The find does help offer her some closure.
“Yeah, I didn’t want much left from this because we had us,” Dayna Mock said. “But, I wanted to find this.”
Ed Mock, 35, has lived in the town of Paradise for most of his life. After spending four weeks in an RV with his wife and two children, he says his family will spend how ever long it takes until his home is rebuilt.
“A lot of the people aren’t going to rebuild, I have a feeling. But the ones that do, it’s gonna make it a good town,” Ed Mock said.
He says the town of Paradise has and always be his home. Although, he understands that his community will look very different.
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