11/30/06

With help from friends, Mathis’ are rising up from the ashes
By Brian Jarvis

BRIAN JARVIS/Manning Timrs
Gary and Tamara Mathis try their best to smile after losing their home to a fire in October. A fundraiser was held Sunday to help them get their lives back on track.

Here’s an incomplete list of what Gary Mathis lost when his home burned down last month:

5,000 vinyl record albums, 2,000-3,000 CDs and hundreds of DVDs; four guitars and one banjo, including a Western Auto owned since age 8; three computers, a practice space for his band and 15 original song compositions. Not to mention clothes, furniture, and just about everything else that happened to be inside his two-story brick house off Homeward Way, outside Summerton, at the time.

Of all his personal effects, however, it was the loss of a Bible given to him by his grandmother that stung the most.

“It’s one of those things that’s sentimental. I really miss my grandmother,” Mathis said. “It’s the little things people don’t think about: wedding pictures, cards, things my wife and I built together.”

A lifelong resident of Summerton and owner of Mathis Video, Mathis said that he suspected the Oct. 2 fire was due to the water-heater shorting out.

“I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face,” said Jon Epperson, Mathis’ stepson who was the first to spy the flames. “The explosion and the flash really scared me. It was too hot and there was too much smoke.”

“Everything happened so fast,” Mathis agreed. “I ran back in to see if my wife was inside, but the fire was already up to the walls.”

All Mathis received for his efforts were first and second degree burns on his neck, head and face along with cuts and bruises – though he did manage to grab his prized 1970 Gibson Les Paul guitar on his way out.

“That was my baby,” Mathis said. “But at least it was just stuff. I’m glad that if anyone got injured, it was me. I couldn’t stand to see my wife or stepson go through that. Not to sound macho, but I’m a grown man.”

While the hardest part is not having their own space – Mathis and wife Tamara are temporarily living with his parents – the one good thing to come out of it was Tamara’s wedding ring, miraculously recovered amid the wreckage. One trip to Big T Jewelers and the shine was as good as ever.

“God put it there,” Tamara said afterwards. “I turned right around and there it was.”

Perhaps most deserving of thanks, however, are longtime friends Cindy Sargent and Callie Fields who helped organize a fundraiser Sunday.

Titled “Band Aid,” the event featured a line-up of local music groups during which Mathis, a guitarist and vocalist for several bands in the area, took the stage himself to belt out some golden oldies.

“Band-Aid was ingenious; it’s so cool with Gary being a musician,” Fields said. “How appropriate to have bands ‘band’ together to help a fellow musician?”

“We’re ‘heart family,’” added Sargent, touching her hand to her chest. “We’re so close that we’re family, not by blood but by heart. One thing I’ve heard over and over is that when Gary’s not already playing in a gig and another band needs a guitar player, they can call him on a moment’s notice and he’ll just go. That’s why he’s gotten such great response.”

Noting the benefit was a strictly a volunteer effort, Fields and Sargent gave large credit to the Palmetto chapter of ABATE for their support as well as Lake Marion Long Homes, Steedley Monuments, Dollar General and Mathis’ brother Tommy.

“As mayor of Summerton, I can tell you that we need every business we can get,” said Beth Phillips, who made a surprise appearance and encouraged the crowd to take part in the raffle and auction. “I want to thank Gary for his commitment.”

Anyone interested in making a donation can send it to 1514 Homeward Way in Summerton. For more information please call Gary Mathis at 478-2025 (home) or 485-2017 (work).