Vietnam veteran faces twin tragedies with heart attack and house fire
Family seeks community support after losing everything in Eleanor Avenue blaze
Arthur Lucero survived explosives on the front lines of Vietnam, but more than 50 years later, the Las Vegas veteran is battling new threats to his life – this time on the home front.
Within weeks of each other, Lucero suffered a heart attack requiring major surgery in June, followed by a devastating house fire that destroyed his Eleanor Avenue home on July 13, leaving six family members with little more than the clothes on their backs.
“I went through so much over there, and then just to come home, and things happen little by little to me,” Lucero reflected. “I don’t know, it’s crazy. I have the darndest luck, you might say.”
From battlefield to home front challenges
The U.S. Army veteran’s combat experience included a near-fatal injury when explosives struck his unit. “My left leg was shooting out blood because it hit the main artery, and I was losing a lot of blood. I barely survived that,” he recalled of his wartime service that earned him two Purple Hearts.
Now, the family patriarch faces rebuilding his life after the pre-dawn fire that investigators believe was sparked by a Roman candle firework landing against the house. The blaze displaced four generations of the Lucero family, including Arthur, his wife, daughter Celia Lucero, her fiancé, two grandchildren, and six dogs.
“We lost everything,” said Abigail Knott, Lucero’s granddaughter-in-law who lived in the home. “Like, everything. There’s nothing that’s salvageable right now.”
Community rallies around veteran family
The fire struck a particularly vulnerable time for the family, coming just weeks after Lucero underwent heart surgery following his cardiac event in Albuquerque. Despite the compound tragedies, the veteran maintains perspective gained from his military service.
“He has shrapnel through his body going through the war, and he’s gone through a lot,” said daughter Celia Lucero. “He’s a very strong man. He’s the rock of our family. It’s hard to see our rock hurting and on a curb and doesn’t have a home to go to.”
The Red Cross of Southern Nevada provided immediate assistance, helping the family secure temporary housing at an Airbnb while they work to rebuild. All family members and their pets escaped the fire without serious injury.
Rebuilding after loss
Currently, the Lucero family is staying at another residence while their home undergoes reconstruction. The fire’s timing – occurring amid Las Vegas’s July heat and following significant medical expenses from Lucero’s heart surgery – has created additional financial strain on the multigenerational household.
“We were very grateful for a lot of different people that helped us in all different ways,” Lucero said, expressing appreciation for community support while acknowledging the long road ahead.
The family has established GoFundMe campaigns to help cover immediate needs and rebuilding costs. Despite losing material possessions accumulated over decades, Lucero focuses on what matters most.
“We’re thankful the family is safe,” he said, demonstrating the same resilience that carried him through combat injuries decades ago.
Support available for veterans
The Lucero family’s plight highlights the ongoing challenges faced by many veterans in Southern Nevada. Organizations like U.S.VETS Las Vegas and the Kline Veterans Fund provide emergency assistance to veterans experiencing housing crises, offering resources beyond what traditional disaster relief provides.
For veterans facing similar emergencies, local resources include rapid rehousing assistance, temporary shelter, and connections to VA benefits that may help with recovery costs.
As the Lucero family works to rebuild their lives, their story serves as a reminder of the sacrifices veterans continue to make long after their service ends – and the importance of community support when tragedy strikes those who served.
Image Source: https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-veteran-seeks-community-help-after-surviving-house-fire-and-heart-attack
Category: Local News
Subcategory: Military & Veterans
Date: 07/21/2025
