Son loses mother and home in a matter of days
INTERLOCHEN -- The community is rallying behind an Interlochen family after adversity dealt them two tragic blows in just a week.
Donna Ockert was killed last week when her husband lost control of their car, flipping it on Lake Ann Road. Thursday morning their son's home burnt down.
Mark Ockert had returned from his mother's funeral Wednesday night, and went to bed. Around 2:00 a.m. woke up to the glowing light of fire in his home.
Ockert says, "I opened the door and looked outside. The whole ceiling was on fire. I shut the door, grabbed my basket of clothes, pitched them out the window and then followed them."
Inland Township Fire Chief Skip Hampton says crews worked to contain the blaze for five hours, but the home couldn't be saved. Neighbors who say the family is well loved in the close knit community are stunned by this second dose of devastating news.
Kay Szostakowski says, "Why do good people have bad things happen to them. Why are they having to go through this?"
But remarkably Mark says there's no time for a pity party, and its not what his mother would have wanted. For now he plans to lean on friends and family. This spring he'll rebuild.
Ockert says, "My mom taught us a lot she taught us that no matter what life throws at you get back up and try again."
Fredrick Ockert, Mark's dad, is recovering from the car crash at home. He had just celebrated 53 years of marriage with Donna.
