NORTH OGDEN, Utah — Gavin Hendricksen and her family were sure of it.
They thought they lost everything.
She and her daughters were shopping for back-to-school supplies on Wednesday when they started getting text messages and photos from their neighbors in North Ogden.
"I'm so sorry..." one text read.
WATCH: Evacuees find refuge from Willard Peak Fire at emergency shelter
The messages were accompanied by photos that showed the house behind a wall of flames. One of the photos appeared to show flames shooting in and out of the windows.
The family sat down for dinner and took a moment to say goodbye.
"It was pretty incredible — just hearing my girls," Hendricksen said. "It's just stuff. You come into this world without anything, and you leave without anything... They already get it. They get it, that we have each other."
"We just saw the smoke, and we knew."
They've never been more happy to be wrong. The flames shooting out of the windows were an optical illusion — a reflection.
Later that night, the family turned on FOX 13 News and saw video of a lone firefighter in their backyard. He was fighting the "Willard Peak" wildfire with a garden hose — normally attached to the side of the Hendricksen house. The firefighter gave orders to our photographer to help him save the building. The flames were just a few feet away.
Hendricksen cried when she saw the video.
"I just pray that we can find him, because I want to thank him," she said. "He persevered, and he didn't give up. He's a hero. I'm so grateful for his heroism."
The firefighter doesn't appear to be wearing a uniform showing which department he came from. The only clue seems to be a white helmet with reflective tape sporting an insignia with a bear claw.
All she wants is a name and a way to say thank you.
If you know who the firefighter is, you can email news@fox13now.com.
