Unlucky Woman Tempts Nature - Again

(CBS)  Dayna Czermak might be the unluckiest woman on the planet. Her house by Lake Arrowhead is in the line of fire.

"The flames were five stories high!" she said.

Along with a tiny band of neighbors, she is defying mandatory evacuation orders.

"We're the ones who refused to leave," a neighbor said.

You see, she's been through much worse, CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports.

She lived in New Orleans for 18 years, until Katrina destroyed her home. She and her family fled to Houston where Hurricane Rita forced her and her family to run again.

Three weeks ago she moved into a house in California, just in time for this firestorm.

And if that weren't enough, as a child in California, a fire almost destroyed her home.

Then there was the day in 1994 when she flew back to visit her brother in Northridge … yes, the very day of the Northridge earthquake.

Does she feel like she's been hounded by the fates?

"Yes, I do," she laughed.

But she doesn't feel unlucky.

"I don't feel unlucky," she said. "I do feel like disaster is following me."

But she's not crazy. She sent two kids to safety off the mountain. She packed her car in case the fire jumps the ridge.

She said she stayed because three-year-old Nicholai is sick and his hospital is just down the road. A crowded evacuation center, she feels, would be worse for him.

But then there is this:

"You get tired of running and nature has ruled my life," she said. "And taken away my home on many occasions and I don't want to lose it."

And maybe, just maybe, standing her ground, looking fate in the eye might break her cycle of bad luck.

[sugarmice-2009]

I would just like to thank all of you with POSITIVE
postings about this horrible fire - I have a brother that is only 20 miles from the area and he and the neighbors keep watch and hope they don''t have to evacuate - some have gone to help those in need and have also offered the spare rooms in their homes to the evacuees - it''s not just the fires, but the idiots who are out there trying to start more - they think it''s a rush to see the flames... hope they shoot them too - but what is in the future is rebuilding and trying to get their lives back in order and it will take years and many don''t have the means (financially/physically) to do this and they are the ones that need our help. We all reached out during Katrina - when the time comes, I hope we all can be a little bit helpful ..
Again, thank you all for your positive postings and these positive thoughts are taken full heartily and do help ... god bless you all

[maccar555]

This woman is no idiot. She is gutsy and apparently loves her family. She and her husband sent their children to safety. But in the case of her son, who needs medical care, I''d have made the same decision with the backing of the local constabulary. Good for her and lucky for her son if they don''t have to disrupt his life more than it already has been disrupted. She has a plan and will get herself and her son to safety if need be. I just can''t believe how many negative people live in our country now. Try to be more supportive. Good grief, life can be difficult enough. Here''s to grace that SusanHelit isn''t that little boys Mom. You sound negative, opinionated and panic-stricken%u2014a very bad combination during a crisis.

[denicz]

You don''t know what L. went thru to get his children to safety after Katrina, fending off desperate people trying to carjack him while his 8 yr.old & infant were cowering in the back seat. And after they were safe, he went back to help his elderly neighbors and friends.
No one knows what the next moment will bring but I trust Lance & Dayna''s judgement completely.

[susanhelit]

I''m certain, absolutely positive, that the father of the burned 15 year old was also sure they''d be safe, that he wasn''t risking his son''s life, that the fires wouldn''t get there without warning, that he''d be able to leave if the fires got close.

[denicz]

I second that motion, Lance! Club Del Sol is calling our names!!!

[jczermak]

What does one say who is a sibling, lives in Alaska and must sit and watch 3 news channels hoping and praying their family is safe during Katrina,Rita and now the California Fires?? We are so thankful that you are safe. Norm says Mexico Lance!

[nolalou]

I hope for the best for all those in California in the path of the fires! It''s always a hard call to decide rather or not to evacuate in cases like this. People faced with these decisions do not deserve to be insulted and called idiots!

Mythoughtsr , I live in New Orleans. I was lucky that I was already out of town, when Katrina hit. Even so, I can understand why some people did not evacuate. There have been many ''false alarms'' about hurricanes over the years, that either did not hit New Orleans as predicted, or ended up not being as strong as predicted, so some people feel they are not in danger.
In addition, there are many people who either did not have transportation, or did not have anywhere to go, and couldn''t afford to stay in a hotel.

[ecuadoriana]

I should get her to pick Lotto numbers- then I''ll play the opposite ones!

But seriously, she probably now can not get insurance of any kind- she''d be considered too much of a risk. And obviously no one will ever want to be her neighbour since she is a disaster magnet!

[antoniof123]

Lance Czermak
Lake Arrowhead, CA

Posted by Lczermak at 10:26 PM : Oct 24, 2007

Absolutely true these idiots insult and don''t have a clue. I am very glad to see that you are safe and hold hope for you. These morons who insult are the very same ones who insult all those who have the misfortune of living through this sort of stuff.

Good luck.

[cosmicsunshi]

Without in any way criticizing this family, I would like to say that when the news broadcaster called her probably the unluckiest person in the world, I could not help but think about the many people who have been harmed by war, losing not only their homes and possessions, but also perhaps their families and possibly even parts of their own bodies. I just think that each person who has difficulties is not necessarily responsible for them and is making the best decision they can based on the information they have at the time. We could all be a bit more generous in our thoughts about each other and try to spread more peace and love around!