NAPLES, Fla. — For many veterans seeing combat is not the only battle they have to face.
One Vietnam veteran who lives in Golden Gate is now without a home, after losing his to a fire over the weekend.
71-year-old, Vietnam veteran Donald Cline took the time out of his day to give FOX 4’s Briana Brownlee a close-up of what remains of his home.
“When I got to the laundry room, I saw a red flame,” Cline said as he gave FOX 4 a tour.
Cline said before seeing the flames rip through his home he was working in his office and fixing something to eat. Then all of a sudden he started to feel the heat.
“I have been around dangerous things before, but this time I panicked…me….I panicked,” Cline said.
“He didn’t have anything with him not even his phone…I said please don’t go back inside,” said Maria Cardoso. “It was a big fire, and more than anything I was scared about him.”
Cardoso lived across the street from Cline for the past 24 years. She said she saw him go back inside his burning home three times to save his belongings. However, Cline's gun collection, one of his motorcycles, all of his cash, and his entire home were destroyed.
Cardoso said she is just happy Cline is okay, but is saddened he of all people had to go through something so tragic.
“He’s a very nice guy, if you need something he is there,” Cardoso said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
