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STAMFORD, Conn. — Four months after a Christmas Day fire in Stamford took the lives of his three daughters, Matthew Badger spoke publicly in an exclusive interview with Claire Shipman of ABC.
“Why did this happen? It doesn’t make any sense,” Badger said of losing Lilly, 9, and twins Sarah and Grace, 7.
A fire started at the home of his estranged wife, Madonna Badger, after her boyfriend, Michael Borcina, placed ashes from the fireplace near the rear of the house, authorities said. Badger and Borcina were the lone survivors. Her parents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson, also died in the early morning blaze.
Badger’s last memories of his girls’ are happy ones, of celebrating with them the week prior to the incident, he told ABC. They had a Christmas tree, danced together, and opened their presents, he says in the interview.
“They were all very happy,” Badger said with a smile.
In an effort to heal from the tragedy, Badger has started the Lily Sarah Grace Fund, which will help provide arts programs in public elementary schools. He believes his healing will begin when he walks into a classroom funded by the project, Badger said on Good Morning America.
Comments (2)
This is, by far, one of the most heart wrenching tragedies to have happened in a very long time.
My heart still aches over this absolutely senseless tragedy. I cannot even fathom the agony involved as a family member or friend of these precious little girls or their grandparents.
I was speaking to an insurance adjustor a couple of months ago and she was absolutely dumbfounded by how many accidental fires there had been lately - ones that could've absolutely been prevented if proper care was taken. Acquaintances of mine also lost their entire house to fire in January due to a careless mistake.
Granted there are unavoidable accidents, but so many are preventable with making yourself aware and thinking about what you're doing when disposing of fireplace ashes or contents of ashtrays, etc. I'm certain no family would want to endure what this family has endured.