22 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 - MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013 NEWS Cape Gazette
RYAN MAVlTY PHOTO
REHOBOTH BEACH SINGER/SONGWRITER VIKI DEE surveys damage caused by a fire that destroyed her home
Oct. 20. The fire caused $70,000 in damage and took the lives of Dee's pets - a dog, a cat and a cockatoo.
Viki Dee lost all of her work- songs
and lyrics - as well as family
keepsakes.
Continued from page l "It's so much more than
losing a home; it's what it rep-
"I put a lot of money into the resented," Dee-said. "I had my
house," Dee said. "It was really father's things in there, and he's
pa'mful to watch that happen." deceased, so I have nothing of
After performing at Delaware his anymore. People think the
Distilling Company Oct. 20, Dee memory is compensation, and
came home to find her house it's really not. You want to hold
smothered in smoke. The fire something tangible."
caused $70,000 in damage, and it Dee is staying with friends as
took a of Dee's most cherished investigators continue to deter-
possessions: a dog, a cat and a mine the cause of the fire. She
cockatoo all perished, said she has been overwhelmed
"It's hard," she said. "I'm left by the support of the community,
with nothing but the clothes who have helped with donations
that were on my back. I don't and support.
have anything. I'm really starting "I think it's what's kept me
over. I'm blessed to be alive. But going," Dee said, choking back
the animals, that's what breaks tears. "It says something about
my heart." this community when people
Dee said when she came home are in need - they're right there
from her performance, her bed- to help in any way they can. I'm
room was still in flames. She blessed beyond belief. They're
tried to enter the front door. my angels."
When* she did, Dee said, the She said her mother and her
backdraft blew her off the porch, sister are flying in from Los
She dialed 911, and frantically Angeles to provide support. Dee
called for her dog, Philip. has decided to cancel her perfor-
"The smoke was just huge. I mances for the immediate future.
couldn't even see," Dee said. "I don't have it in me," Dee
Investigators' initial assess- said, "It takes a lot. I can't stand
ment, s he said, is that it was an very long. I can't concentrate
electrical fire caused by wiring, very much. I'm a little out of
Her house was insured, but sorts. I'm just going to take a
Dee is most emotional about the break for a little while to get
things she can't get back. my head together and get some
Phillip was 13 years old, and strength back. Then I'll go back
her cockatoo had just turned 24. up."
"They were my family. He was She said she doesn't plan to be
my boy," Dee said of Phillip. "I away from the stage for too long,
tell everybody I miss my boy but for now, she doesn't want the
every Nay. I can't get that back. 'stress of her situation to affect
I don't care about the house as her performance.
much as I care about them." "It won't be long, because I
It was only when she began to know I'll miss it," she said.
go through the house to see what Dee's friends will host a Satur-
was salvagable that what hap- day, Nov. 16 fundraiser.
pened began to sink in. Dee said The fundraiser will be held
watching her home go.up was a from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Rusty
helpless feeling. Rudder in Dewey Beach. Orga-
"I felt like I was having an out- nizer Mary Ann Slinkman said
of-body experience," she said. Rusty Rudder owner Alex Pires
"Every thing was surreal. It's has donated not only the Rud-
still surreal. It's unimaginable, der, but the food for a spaghetti
The word shock isn't even a big dinner, desserts and drinks from
enough word. I couldn't believe the cash bar.
the effect of what a fire can re- The fundraiser requires $25
ally do.!' tickets, which can be purchased
In addition to her animals, Dee at Maggio Shields Realty on
Route 1 and at Sign A Rama on
Rehoboth Avenue Extended.
One hundred percent of the
proceeds will go to Dee, Slink-
man said, and the night will
feature a roster of local enter-
tainers.
Pires said, "She's a wonderful
person, a talented singer/musi-
cian. Viki's had a bad break but
needs to know the community
is going to help her get back on
her feet."
Dee is aware of the benefit and
was thankful to Pires for donat-
ing the space.
"I think I'm going to be a
wreck," she joked.
Despite all she's been through,
Dee said she is trying to stay
positive.
"It's a whole new lesson. I've
never experienced this lesson.
It's a new life. It's a brand-new
life. I guess the positive aspect of
it is I've been given a new begin-
ning. It's going to be different,"
she said.
@Cape Henlopen School District
Lewes, Delaware
School Choice
Public Information Session
Cape Heniopen School District
Robert
School
choice
School
Fulton, Superintendent of the Cape Henlopen
District, will Share information regarding school
opportunities available in the Cape Henlopen
District for the 2014-2015 school year.
Monday, October 28, 2013
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Cape Henlopen High School Theatre
to
Questions should be directed
the Office of the Superintendent
302. 645. 6686
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