Danny Gotschall was trying to change his life. After spending over half of his 30 years doing manual labor, Gotschall was trying to improve his lifestyle.

He had just started taking general education classes at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and had moved to a new apartment. He wants to eventually transfer to a four-year university to get an electrical engineering degree.

“I want to show my kids the importance of a college education,” Gotschall said. “I was the first in my family to graduate [high school] and the first to go to college.”

On May 28, Gotschall got home from a part-time job doing odds and ends for friends. He ate a bowl of cereal and left at 8:30 a.m. for a day of studying and class at DMACC.

It seemed like any other day, he said.

A few hours after he left, Gotschall’s apartment fell victim to flames that began from a high intensity lamp coming in contact with combustible materials, said Russ Scott, deputy fire chief. The lamp was not a halogen lamp, but one that uses a small reflector-type bulb, he said.

When Gotschall arrived at home, around 3 or 4 p.m., he said he expected to sit down, listen to the radio and probably end up studying.

Instead, he was greeted by a red fire truck.

Gotschall said he was immediately wondering whose apartment had caught on fire.

“I didn’t think about it being my place,” he said.

Once he realized it was his apartment, Gotschall said the first thing he did was try to salvage some of his possessions.

All he had left were a few pieces of clothing.

He said he then tried to set things up, and he found a place to stay.

“It didn’t really hit me right away,” he said.

The shock didn’t set in until later that night, Gotschall said. He said he didn’t fall sleep until around 11 p.m., a few hours after his normal bedtime of 9 p.m.

Feelings of devastation have haunted Gotschall since the fire, he said.

“I have to start over from nothing,” he said.

Most of his belongings were lost in the fire, the most important being several photographs of him and his children.

A photo of Gotschall sitting on his motorcycle with his five-year-old daughter used to bring fond memories, he said.

“Those are happy times of my life that are never going to happen again,” Gotschall said.

Trish Burket, emergency services specialist for the Lincoln Way chapter of the American Red Cross, has assisted Gotschall since the day of the fire.

Gotschall said he has received aid from the Red Cross in terms of food, shelter and clothing. He said they have also helped him get back on his feet.

She said Gotschall’s response to the loss is typical.

“The general response for people who go through crises is stunned; they go into shock,” she said. “There’s a variety of possible scenarios after that. I think Danny expressed the type of emotion and reaction that I would say is extremely typical for a person that has had a profound loss.”

Gotschall said despite his loss, he is determined to move on with his life.

“I’m getting my feet back under me,” he said.

Burket said Gotschall is making progress.

“He has chosen not to let this get the best of him and use this experience to better himself,” she said.

Gotschall said going to class every day has kept him sane.

“I’m dealing with it a little at a time,” he said. “Without school, I’d be dealing with it too much at one time.”

The lesson to be learned, Gotschall said, is that material things aren’t much.

“Lots of my papers and pictures go back six years,” he said. “Everything else is just stuff.”

Gotschall is currently looking for another apartment and does not plan on returning to 527 E. Lincoln Way. He is currently residing at the Ames Motor Lodge, 318 E. Lincoln Way. He said he is currently looking into an apartment in the same area.