SAN ANTONIO — A 78-year-old Vietnam War veteran on San Antonio’s southwest side is now without a home to call his own after a massive fire Saturday night.
Fire crews responded to the 5800 block of Sandy Valley Drive around 7:30 p.m. where they discovered a house engulfed in flames.
The homeowner, John McFall, managed to escape with the help of his grandson and neighbor.
“He lost everything right before the holidays. That was home,” said Brianna McFall, the adopted daughter of John McFall.
San Antonio firefighters fought the blaze for at least three hours.
“At the end of the day, I am just heartbroken for him, for his animals because that’s all he really had and whatever hurts my grandpa hurts me,” Brianna said.
She remembers spending summers with the man she knew as Grandpa John while growing up in the house he named after the Dark Knight’s lair.
“He built that house specifically his way. Made it a bat cave and everything,” Brianna said.
The “bat cave” is now blackened and gutted. Dozens of military awards were destroyed in the fire.
“All of that’s gone. Everything’s he worked for and served his country for he doesn’t have nothing no more,” Brianna said.
During tragedy, John McFall is being supported by neighbors and his family who is always going to be there for him.
“People can lose stuff every day. We don’t know what tomorrow is promised. He’s got family that – we are all going to help him no matter what,” McFall said.
Fire officials have yet to determine the fire's cause based on the extent of the damage.
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