Two Eastern baseball players who were victims of a fire that occurred one year ago today believe they are stronger people for having to cope with the loss of their home and possessions.

The fire destroyed a partially completed building at Fourth Street and Buchanan Avenue and spread to the home of four baseball players at 1133 Fourth St.

Pete Martin, a junior speech communication major, said the incident made him realize how much the community could come together.

“People helped out in the time we needed them,” Martin said. “It is weird how the community came together.”

The fire that began about 7 a.m. on February 13 destroyed the apartment of Vine Edward, Pete Martin, Dave Pohlman and Bob VanHoorebeck, all of whom were baseball players at that time.

Martin said he lost everything in the fire, but the money people from the community donated helped him substantially.

The university put the baseball players up in a hotel for three days and later allowed them to move into rooms in University Court. Martin said the money that was donated to them was used to buy clothing and other small items, like toothbrushes.

The emotional support Martin received from people in the community helped him to get through the crisis, he said. Martin said all of his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers were very supportive of him, and he would sometimes receive cards in the mail from people he had never even met.

Since the fire, Martin said he believes he has grown up more and appreciates everything he has.

Although Martin lost sentimental items in the fire that he can now never get back, he said he is just happy no one was hurt.

“It is an experience I will never forget and would never want to go through again,” Martin said.

Bob VanHoorebeck, a senior economics major, said being in the fire was just one of life’s challenges he had to go through.

“It made me a stronger person. It got me away from being such a materialistic person,” VanHoorebeck said.

After leaving his apartment during the fire, VanHoorebeck was left with only what he walked out with.

“I felt kind of helpless,” VanHoorebeck said.

VanHoorebeck said his insurance still has not paid him his claim money and is contesting some of his items, saying that a 21-year-old does not own $37,000 in possessions. Despite losing everything, VanHoorebeck said he is grateful for what the community gave to him.

“We probably would have not been able to do anything (without the community),” he said.

Pohlman was unable to be reached for comment, and Edwards is no longer a student at Eastern.

The partially constructed apartment building that was completely destroyed has not yet started to be rebuild, said Reggie Phillips, owner of Unique Properties.

About one month ago, Phillips began cleanup on the burned down building after 11 months of disagreements with his insurance company and city officials.

Allied Insurance Co. has agreed to pay the $4 million dollar claim, but Phillips said he has not received any of the money yet, so he cannot begin rebuilding on the apartment. If all goes well, Phillips said he will begin construction on the property in approximately 90 days.

“I am fairly optimistic,” Phillips said. “But I do not have my hopes up too high.”

Today, Phillips will be present at his bench trial, facing a citation from the city that his burned property had insect harborage and visual blight.

Phillips said the property is now cleaned up, and he was not able to clean it earlier because of an ongoing investigation with his insurance company.

When a piece of property is affected by a fire, it is a long process to work out when it will be rebuilt and to wait on insurance money, Phillips said.

“Even though it is the one year anniversary, I am still not ready for the next year,” Phillips said.