Community remembers beloved friends

ROACHDALE, Ind. (WTHI) - Three people were killed in a fire last Sunday in Roachdale. Now, the small community is coming together to remember, Charleen Wiggins and her children, Susan and Robert.

While most were still in bed early Sunday, the Roachdale community remembered three people who they call very special.           

Charleen, Susan and Robert Wiggins were killed in a fire early last week.   

Their home was burned beyond recognition, but through the rubble, their friends see a bright spark of hope.

They wanted to do something tangible in memory of the three they regarded so fondly.

“Stories after stories after stories about how wonderful Bobby is, and how heroic he is to other kids in the town…He goes around town and he helps women carrying groceries, shovel their sidewalks. He does a lot of neat things and so a lot of the community is very torn up and it's a big loss for Roachdale,” said Jodie Clodfelter, coordinator.

Jodie organized a memorial walk in remembrance.

“I kind of have a passion for people who are grieving, in loss. So I wanted to be able to help them with the burden of that,” said Jodie.

Robert Wiggins, affectionately known as Bobby, was always involved in the Special Olympics  

So together, Jodie, and the Wiggins family left behind, decided to give 100 percent of their donations to this organization.  

Family members are overwhelmed by the community's support.

But they weren't the only ones encouraged.

“It pulls our community together, it shows love. It was a terrible tragedy. In these small communities, everyone just pulls together to try to help out the families in need,” said Sandy Webb, volunteer.   

Proving brotherly love is alive and well in this small town.   

Jodie said the community is hoping to make the memorial walk an annual event.   

They're teaming up with the Special Olympics to try and make that happen.