Fund set up to help Hamilton area missing person advocate after weekend house fire

A house on McWhorter Drive in Hanover Twp. was damaged late Friday night. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

A house on McWhorter Drive in Hanover Twp. was damaged late Friday night. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

A fire late Friday night in Hanover Twp. heavily damaged the home of an area missing persons advocate that has prompted a campaign to help Debbie Winkler Estes and her family.

A candle burning in the basement of Estes’ McWhorter Drive residence ignited a fire filling the house up with smoke quickly even with attempts by her son to put it out, she said. Winkler and her teen grandchildren, as well as her son, who was visiting, made it out but she lost her pets — five dogs and two cats.

Debbie Estes papers the west side of Hamilton on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 with flyers of her son, William DiSilvestro, 28, who was reported missing Feb. 11. Known as Billy D., he suffers from epilepsy and was last seen on Ross Avenue. Over 100 people--friends, family and strangers--turned out to help her search. "I'm not a rich person but I feel rich today," she said, regarding the turnout to help her find her son.

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“I tried to go back in. The kitchen was just black with smoke. I told my granddaughter we had to get out or we were going to die,” Estes said.

She had inherited the home after taking care of her mother.

“It was a money pit. But it was mine. I was trying to fix it up,” Estes said. “Now everything I did is just gone, but it’s mostly smoke (damage).” Two of her dogs survived, but the others, also inherited from her mother did not.

Estes’ has tirelessly searched and advocated for her son William “Billy” DiSilvestro since he vanished from Hamilton on Feb 7, 2011, and has never been found. The search for her son evolved into a fight to bring awareness to missing and unsolved homicides in the region.

Debbie Winkler Estes sits on a bench with information about her son Billy DiSilvestro, who has been missing since 2011. Estes has become a supporter to many other local families who have loved ones that are missing. STAFF/FILE PHOTO

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On Sunday, Estes’ posted on social media “Well my life has changed again. House fire. Lost 5 dogs 2 cats keep my family in your prayers… hate to see what’s in store for me next.”

In May, Estes’ had an allergic reaction to medication, drove herself to the hospital and woke up six days later.

“I died in May and I almost died again,” she said. “People tell me, ‘you have a purpose, you lived,’ Man, I don’t know … It is getting old being tough.”

The 65-year-old and her two grandchildren are living with friends and relatives, but “we are really just displaced without each other and my two dogs are depressed and traumatized.”

“I am going to miss Snickers big time, I rescued him. That was Billy’s favorite candy bar. I knew I have to have him.” she said.

Equusearch Midwest, a search and recovery team that is a branch of Texas Equusearch, posted a GoFundMe account on Monday to help Estes.

The post says, “We have known Debbie for the past 13 years from searching for her son, Billy DiSilvestro. Billy is still currently missing and yesterday her house, belongings and beloved animals were taken from her in a fire. Debbie has the absolute biggest heart & has always helped anyone she crosses paths with. From other missing family members or missing persons or anyone she meets, she helps. She is priceless.”

Estes said she became very emotional reading the comments, but “I am grateful, too.”

While she strongly supports firefighters, Estes said she was concerned about the lack of use of a hydrant in front of her house.

“That’s not a fire flow hydrant,” Hanover Twp. Assistant Fire Chief said Fred Stitsinger said. “There are fire flow hydrants in the subdivision area, but (the house is on) one of the original streets in the area so it didn’t have the fire flow hydrant in front.”

Water was used from the 3,000-gallon tank in on the township’s engine with Riley Twp. there for backup and more water if needed. The small hydrant in front of the house is for flushing only.

Stitsinger said the cause of the fire itself was may have been smoking materials but was contained to the basement.

“She was very lucky that the fire was contained to the basement. Basement fires are always the worst,” Stitsinger said.

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