in midst of suffering: the story of marc woerlen

November 17, 2004

last week, one of the most horrific residential fires in the history of ontario took place, claiming the lives of eight people: the seven children and wife of marc woerlen. they all perished in the blaze. below is marc's journey through this very, very trying time. i'd ask for you to pray for this brother, that he'd find strength, peace and comfort, that he'd understand God's soveriegn plan, and that his life and faith in Christ would inspire those around him, as i'm sure he has been. my heart breaks for him and his family.

for further readings, check out (listed in chronological order):

community, relatives mourn family killed in fire

eight fire victims mourned at funeral

family farewell echoes anguish, faith

man who lost family in fire finds strength in faith

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'Just trying to come to grips'
Grieving father says each day is test of his faith
Recalls time spent with family before deadly fire

Written By Sonia Verma, Staff Reporter

West Lincoln—Every morning Marc Woerlen wakes up in a quiet house. And in that silence he hears echoes of his past:

The phantom sound of children scrambling from bed to breakfast table; the rumble of a schoolbus; a chorus of goodbyes. Sometimes his ears still tickle with tiny voices singing a Sunday school hymn.

And then it hits him: These things aren't real.

That is when he reaches to the bedside table for his Bible and says this prayer: "God grant me the power to take each day at a time."

It is the only way he knows how to cope.

Exactly one week has passed since he returned home to find the farmhouse he shared with his wife and seven children burned to the ground. All eight died.

"It still hasn't really hit me," he said last night, slowly sipping a glass of water at the kitchen table of his parents' bungalow with a steady hand.

"You're wondering whether your life is really true. You're not sure if you're dreaming," he said.

In the corner of the kitchen, the high chair where each of his children once sat now holds a bouquet of flowers left over from their funeral.

Marc still wears the wedding band his wife Monika had placed on his left hand.

The fire happened just a few days before the anniversary of the day he proposed, on Remembrance Day, a dozen years ago.

"I try to live a day at a time. My only plan is to make it to heaven so I see them again," he said, with quiet composure.

Marc has returned to what remains of his farmhouse only a few times. There is nothing there left for him to see, he says.

"Ashes, charred wood, burned shingles ... I prefer to look at the eyes of my beautiful children in photographs," he explains.

Officials believe the blaze started in the living room. Truth be told, Marc Woerlen doesn't need to know what caused the fire. It is hard enough for him to live with its consequences.

"You can't change the past. Speculation makes the wounds go deeper," he says.

He takes comfort in the fact that the coroner has ruled his family likely died in their sleep, from smoke inhalation.

"They didn't suffer great pain," he says.

Through his fog of grief, he still feels lucky for the time spent together as a family.

As farmers, the Woerlens worked hard, but lived a life that allowed them to share many special moments together.

"It was a busy life, but we spent a fair bit of time together," he said.

"When I was working in the fields, I'd come home and have a coffee with my wife, or take my kids with me to the hardware store. I feel very privileged to spend those extra hours with them," he said.

His last living memory of his family was on Sunday night. They had spent the day together in this southern Ontario community, as they always did.

The next morning, Marc was scheduled to drive up to Ottawa to help his brother Tim with the harvest. That night, he kissed each child good night. The next morning he kissed Monika goodbye. He told them he'd see them when he got back.

Saturday, he buried them side by side in a cemetery.

He can't imagine a future without them.

"I am just trying to come to grips that they're gone," he said.

He sees the rest of his life as a test of his faith in God.

"It will be a long time to live without them," he reflects.

If he passes this test of faith, his reward will be an afterlife spent with them. For Marc Woerlen, heaven is a place that resembles the life he once had.

It was a happy one spent in the arms of his wife and children.

Posted by Leo Chan at November 17, 2004 4:26 PM