Editor, Gazette-Journal:

We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the entire community for the wonderful acts of kindness we have been shown since the fire at our business on June 24. It was the fast thinking of Mr. Michael McDonald who was passing by that was very crucial.

He smelled the smoke as he passed by. After he turned around, he saw smoke. He called 911 and knocked on the windows to alert anyone who might have been in the building. Within six minutes, the first responders were at our business.

We will be forever thankful to the Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue and the Abingdon Volunteer Fire and Rescue Departments. They worked quickly to put out the fire, and they did an excellent job protecting as many things as they could with tarps. The Gloucester Sheriff’s Office and VDOT did an outstanding job in rerouting traffic so the fire department could do their job.

We have received so many words of love and kindness. Funeral directors from all over the state and...