Cape Breton woman lost all in Fort McMurray fire except faith in humanity

A Fort McMurray evacuee, originally from New Waterford,says the kindness of strangers has made an unbearable experiencebearable.

"Here we are, we don't know these people and they're at the ready to hug you," Barb Warnersaid.

"They're at the ready to do anything, and the big thing they're saying out here is, 'standing behind you, we have your back.'Well, that's just not words."

Nothing but the clothes on their backs

She and her husband were away from their home in Fort McMurrayfor a medical appointmentwhen the evacuation was ordered.

They had nothing with them but the clothes they were wearing.Warner saysthe generosity they've experienced since has been phenomenal.

Kindness and generosity

Warner says when someone overheard her and her husbandina restaurant, their bill wasquietly paid.

Their hotel is providing a suite for half the cost of a standard room, and some clothing stores are offering 75 per cent discounts.

Home completely destroyed

Warner recently saw an aerial shot of their neighbourhood and home online.

"It's gone," she said, her voice breaking."All you can see is the ash where the house used to be."

'We are lucky'

"But I still think, in a way, we are lucky, because there are a lot of people that are not going to see that side of humanity that we've seen."

Warner says people are offering their homes and trailers to strangers.

"This is a time that should be totally, totally devastating, totally upsetting, but it's really hard to be that way when you have thesefriends, family and total strangers letting you know that, you know, you're not alone."