Norma Anthony

Resident at Westbeth since 1983

Why I Survived

On a beautiful mid-December afternoon, my life completely changed. I lived in an apartment in Westbeth with my husband Bill, who was an artist. While we were having lunch out, a fire erupted in our apartment for unknown reasons. When we finished lunch, I went shopping and Bill returned home. Bill ran into the fire probably to save the art and related papers. Two workers in the building rescued Bill, but he succumbed to smoke inhalation several days later. So in a matter of a couple of hours, I lost my husband and my home.

The reason I am surviving as well as I am is because of the building I live in and the people who live and work here. Westbeth is an apartment complex for artists of all persuasions. It is more than an apartment building—it is a real community where people know and care about each other. It can often take years for someone to finally get off the waiting list and be admitted. After what happened to me, a team of tenants was formed to create a home for me in a new apartment in the building. They filled it completely, with everything that was necessary for any home. Bill’s art that had been lent to friends years ago was returned to me unscathed by fire. But more than the apartment, the friendship, concern and care of the people living and working here make life here livable for me.