NORFOLK, Va. - The Fire Chief called a three alarm fire in Ocean View this February one of the worst he'd seen. Fourteen buildings damaged. Eight lost and 40 people out of their homes.
" I just started running for anybody who would help me," said one of the fire victims.
And that's when some say an angel appeared.
Business owner and longtime Ocean View resident Judy Boone immediately took action to help.
"She worked tirelessly to make sure each and every family received some sort of assistance. This was a labor of love. It was about caring. It was about the golden rule," says Buddy Wall, one of the volunteers.
Betty Prudner lost everything in the fire, her home and her cars.
"We had a pristine '56 Thunderbird, gone."
Prudner says Judy Boone changed her from being a fire victim to a fire survivor. "She had this whole community organized and united in two days," she said.
News 3 is now honoring Judy Boone with a People Taking Action Award.
We surprised her at her Real Estate office in the heart of Ocean view. With her employees, friends and fire victims watching, we present her with the award and a $300 gift certificate from Southern Bank.
She tells me one of the ways she raised $20,000 for the fire victims was asking people for money at the Thirsty Camel restaurant the next morning. "I grabbed one of the waitresses water jugs and I went around and said 'Hi, I'm Judy Boone and I'm collecting for the fire victims and everybody started pouring money in,'" said Boone.
Buddy Wall was one of those patron in the restuarant that day. He'd never met Judy but she impressed him as a passionate, caring person trying to help her neighbors. "I saw a sincere caring woman who was willing to put her livelihood on the back burner and help her friends and neighbors in their time of need." said Wall.
He wrote us a letter nominating Judy for the award and we agree it is well-deserved - Congrats Judy Boone on your News 3 People Taking Action Award!
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