Chapter 3

I covered my mouth with my left hand, shut my eyes, and let my tears flow.

An hour later, we were en route to 5001 Morris Park Avenue, my parents’ residence.

We stepped out of Willoby’s car and approached the charred remnants of our home. The acrid smell of burnt wood filled the air, making us cough from the lingering smoke. The once neat pathway leading to the door was now littered with ash and boot prints, evidence of the firefighters' urgent efforts through the wreckage.

Neighbors gathered along the sidewalk in shock, offering nods of sympathy as I passed by, their sorrow palpable. Their whispered condolences rose above the thick, dark air.

With tears in my eyes and a runny nose, I acknowledged their gestures with heartfelt appreciation. Bystanders moved about, absorbing the grim scene, their murmurs speculating on the cause of the catastrophic fire. I silently thanked God that the other homes nearby had escaped damage, although they were separated only by low shrubs.

I walked through the debris of waterlogged charcoal, wood, and shattered remnants. Broken glass surrounded the perimeter of what had once been a proud family home, now reduced to haunting ruins, with sooty pillars and collapsed beams. The partially standing walls bore the scars of one of nature’s most feared forces—fire.

Incredibly, despite the inferno that claimed my parents' lives, the neighboring houses sustained only minor damage. The firefighters had doused them to prevent the flames from spreading further.

Even though the fire was out, police and fire department personnel were still present, searching for evidence. I felt lost, grappling with the future that my parents would never have. I barely registered Sargent Willoby’s suggestion that I needed to go to the morgue.

As he led me there, he prepared me for the grim task of identifying their remains. Their fingerprints and dental records were unavailable, leaving the burden of identification on my shoulders.

The morgue was located in the basement of Clinton Hospital on 149th Street in the Bronx.

I waited as Officer Johnson directed us from behind a l