Ad executive Madonna Badger lost parents and three daughters in Christmas fire caused by Yule Log
47-year-old former Calvin Klein advertising executive Madonna Badger (responsible for the iconic Marky Marky spots) had an unimaginably horrific Christmas.
Christmas Day around 5 a.m. a fire erupted in Madonna Badger’s Stamford, Connecticut house. Madonna and a male friend Michael Borcina were able to escape the burning house, and Madonna reportedly climbed onto the roof in a desperate but unsuccessful attempt to save her three children: Lily (10), and twins Sarah and Grace (7.)
Her parents Lomer and Pauline Johnson (71 and 69), who would have celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary today (December 26, 2011) also perished in the blaze. Lomer had just played Santa at Saks Fifth Avenue in NY the night before (Christmas Eve.) A family member told the NY Times that Lomer was fulfilling a longtime dream with his Santa gig.
Badger had just filed for divorce from the father of her children, Matthew Badger, in October, 2011. Of course, he is completely devastated at the news of the death of his children.
The other survivor, Michael Borcina, who the NYDN called her boyfriend, is the president of Tiberias Construction Inc, and was thought to be renovating the five-bedroom Victorian home Madonna Badger moved into this summer.
An emergency worker told the New York Daily News that the fire was caused from Yule log embers Badger and Borcina left in a bucket in the foyer after wrapping Christmas gifts until 3 a.m.
A total of 46 firefighters fought the flames, and Fire Chief Antonio Conte cried when he told reporters that despite their efforts, they couldn’t reach the victims in time. Badger and Borcina both reportedly tried to climb onto the roof to save the children, and so did Badger’s 71-year-old father Lomer, who climbed out of his window, and almost rescued one of the girls before both collapsed from carbon monoxide poisoning, and died just inches from each other; he on the outside of the window, and she on the inside.
One of the firefighters had to be rescued after climbing in one of the windows in an attempt to save the victims.
It’s impossible to image the kind of pain Madonna Badger must be feeling right now.
Here’s an eyewitness video:
