105-year-old woman loses home in Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire

MORA COUNTY, N.M. – An evacuee from Mora County has lost her home to the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. But Mariquita Gallegos and her family are staying strong and celebrating the milestones in life as she turns 105 years old this year.

Gallegos has been through a lot in her hundred plus years.

“She had a rough life, they were fairly poor and when we were growing they were starting their life, and little by little they built up, she’s coming a long ways,” said Elsie Gallegos, Gallegos’s daughter.

Gallegos spent her whole life in Mora County, raising her 17 kids. So any family get-together is packed with family.

“She’s really happy, yes. She gets excited cause she gets to see her grandchildren, her great-great-grandchildren, all the family she enjoys them,” said Elsie.

It’s a bright spot in the family’s lives after hearing the unfortunate news that Gallegos’s home was lost to the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The fire prompted her to evacuate with nearby family and stay with relatives in Los Lunas.

“Oh, it has a lot of memories. A lot of memories were lost,” said Elsie.

This isn’t the first time she lost her home to a fire, she lost another home in the 60s to an electrical fire. But Gallegos’s family says living as long as she has, she’s resilient and keeps her family and faith close to her heart.

So what’s the secret to a long life?

Watch the video above to see/hear Gallegos’ answer.