Ross Fire destroys family-owned canoe rental with almost a century of history

Ross Fire continues to burn as firefighters work to contain it, more than a week and a half after it started. The fire has destroyed businesses and homes in Jack and Palo Pinto counties. That includes a fourth-generation family business with almost a century of history and memories.

The peace of the Brazos River lines what was Rochelle's Canoe and Kayak Rental in Graford, but the scene is much different just yards away.

"We had a devastating fire come through here," Buddy Rochelle said.   

He got a terrifying message last week: The Ross Fire was closing in on his business.

"It came through about 3:30 a.m. We left here about 9, 9:30, 10 at night with everything on our back and whatever we could throw in the car," he said. 

Nothing could prepare him for what he found when he returned.

"Tears just hit me. I've been here since 1980, and we came back to virtually no business and no shop where we worked on everything," Buddy Rochelle said. 

Buddy co-owns the business with his daughter, Katie. The Rochelles didn't have insurance on the buildings.

"My heart is not only heartbroken of me seeing it, but watching my father watching his eyes see it. That's what breaks my heart the most, is just watching everything, all of our legacy, just burn up in flames," Katie Rochelle said.

The business' legacy began in 1928 when Buddy's grandfather bought the land on which the canoe rental would be built.

"I started coming up here in '67 with my grandfather, so that was two years before he started the canoe rental, and he started out with six canoes," Buddy Rochelle said.   

A pile of rubble lines the road leading to the Brazos River. It used to be the store, an office, and a mobile home. The buildings may have crumbled, but Buddy's resolve to continue the family business has not.

"We're going to we're going to rise again. We may not be as big and have the things that we had up top at one time. It might take years, but we are going to have an office, and we are going to have people inside where we can conduct business," Buddy Rochelle said.   

The heartbroken owner plans to rise above the ashes and start anew by renting out some canoes on Labor Day weekend.