COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The bodies of an elderly couple who chose to stay in their home near Grand Lake as the East Troublesome fire began to explode on Wednesday were recovered on Friday, said officials from the Grand County Sheriffs Office.
Lyle Hileman, 86, and his wife, Marilyn, 84, were removed from their residence Friday afternoon, said Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin.
“At 86 and 84 years of age their only desire was to be together in the home they loved,” Schroetlin read from a statement from the family late Friday in a video posted on Facebook.
“Our family feels comfort in the knowledge our parents left this world together and on their own terms.”
On Wednesday evening after a mandatory evacuation order had been issued, the Hileman’s “refused to evacuate” and wanted to remain with the home they loved.
The Hileman family released the following statement:
“Our parents, Lyle and Marilyn Hileman, loved Grand Lake. Married at a young age, they honeymooned in the area in 1952. Years later, they would buy the property adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park. The property became a lifelong mission to create ‘heaven on earth’ to which family, friends and strangers — who quickly became friends — would be drawn.
“On Wednesday evening, several friends contacted them with offers of support in the evacuation. Their friends Richard Cline, along with safety officials, drove through roadblocks in an effort to rescue the Hilemans. All offers to leave were refused. At 86 and 84 years of age, their only desire was to be together in the home they loved.
“In the spring of 2020, they sold the property to their son Glenn with hopes of staying there as long as physically possible. On the evening of Oct. 21, they called Glen with news, ‘it happened.’ When pressed, they then shared the fire had began in the fields, barns and adjacent homes. They were calm, resolute and adamant they would not leave. They asked Glen to call his siblings that they were in their basement in an area they felt safe. Prior to hanging up the phone, Marilyn confirmed they smelled smoke. After contacting all of his siblings, Glen attempted to contact his parents again but there was no answer. It would be late Thursday before confirmation would come that the house was destroyed.”
That night, their friend Richard Klein along with first responders drove through several roadblocks in an attempt to evacuate the Hilemans, but all offers were refused, said Schroetlin.
The couple called Glenn about the flames they could see in the fields, barns and adjacent houses; they stated they were in the basement and “would not leave.”
Marilyn Hileman confirmed to Glenn that they could smell smoke. The couple asked Glenn to inform their children about the situation.
After calling each of his siblings, Glenn, attempted to contact his parents again. These attempts were unsuccessful, and the last known contact from the Hilemans was on Wednesday night.
Fire officials were made aware of the elderly couple, but due to the fire activity, they did not know the status of the house until Thursday, Schroetlin said.
As of late Friday there are no missing people associated to the East Troublesome fire, Schroetlin said.
“Grand County will remain strong,” Schroetlin said.
