A man whose wife and daughters were killed in a wildfire that spread through Gatlinburg says he has forgiven the two juveniles who have been accused of starting it.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports (http://bit.ly/2htuv1F ) Michael Reed posted an open letter on his Facebook page to the two juveniles who have been charged with aggravated arson.
Reed’s wife, Constance, and his two daughters Chloe and Lily were killed in the wildfire that spread through Gatlinburg and the surrounding area last month. Reed and his son survived.
“Forgiveness isn’t for you. It is for me. It is for my son,” Reed wrote. “It is for Constance, Chloe and Lily. It is for this community who all lost so much in this tragedy.”
Authorities say the fire started in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and spread to the tourist town with the help of 87 mile-per-hour winds and months of drought. The fire killed 14 people and damaged more than 2,400 buildings. Local officials estimate the property damage at $500 million.
