As a native of Lewiston, the recent fires have created a hole in my heart.

My father was the eldest of 11 children of a poor family in French-speaking Quebec. He came to Lewiston as a young man, worked at Pepperell Sheet Mill and, within a few years, went to Harvard Dental School during the Great Depression, washing dishes while attending dental school.

He established a dental practice in Lewiston and, in the process, brought his parents and siblings to Lewiston.

He married a beautiful woman named Grace. My brother and I were born and raised in Lewiston. Our paternal grandmother lived on Pierce Street.

Those of my generation remember Lewiston as a vibrant community of honest, hard-working, family-oriented residents, most of whom were first-, second- and third-generation immigrants.

Landlords took pride in their properties and maintained them well, as did the tenants.

In 2005, I relocated to Lewiston. I took over the family property built in 1941 and made it sing.

I am angry, very sad, yet hopeful … hopeful that absentee landlords will be brought to task; hopeful that city government and local developers will work together to build suitable housing that landlords and tenants will take pride in maintaining.

First responders and aid agencies are to be commended.

The spirit of many left homeless and the outpouring from the community are awe-inspiring.

All of Lewiston deserves to be populated, once again, by honest, hard-working, family-oriented residents.

Louise I. Marcotte, Lewiston