WELLINGTON, Kan. — A split-second decision left Wanda Tate without a home.
On Monday, Tate said she was getting ready to fry fish on the stove and started to heat up the oil. She left to answer her front door and a few minutes later, she lost everything.
“Black billowing smoke and it was all up above and you can see the drops from the grease,” Tate said. “That was a nightmare. I’ve never been through anything like that before.”
Her home was by family nearly 50 years ago. Due to recent modifications to the home, Tate said she dropped insurance. Though she had planned to get it back, her house is uninsured.
It’s now considered a total loss. However, she managed to save a few heirlooms.
“So really and truly, the important things is all of the family history and pictures, all of my pictures were saved but a few that were on the walls,” she said.
Friends and family have helped her clean up her home, but some have created online campaigns to help out Tate.
A Go Fund Me campaign titled “Wanda Tate Rebuild Project” has raised more than $1,200 to help Tate. The goal, she said, is to rebuild a smaller home on her property.
In 2003, Tate retired from Sumner Regional Medical Center. Months later, she went back to work as a part-time nurse. Now, the 77-year-old is preparing to go back to full-time work.
She said community has surprised her every step of the way.
“It’s very humbling. I’ve always been there to help when I’ve seen needs with other people and family, but I’ve never had to ask for help. So it made a big difference,” Tate said.