Angel, the beloved Texas longhorn and Tubbs fire survivor, returns to Santa Rosa home

Angel the Texas longhorn climbed out of a livestock trailer Sunday afternoon and walked around a grassy lot on Coffey Lane as a small crowd applauded and exclaimed with joy.

It was the beloved black-and-white cow's first day back living on the property since the Tubbs fire burned through north Santa Rosa one year earlier, killing Angel's caretaker, Valerie Evans, and destroying her home.

Less than a minute after Angel's long-awaited homecoming began Sunday, a passing motorist appeared to honk in excitement after spotting the cow from Highway 101.

Angel eventually settled in the southeastern corner of the lot, right by the highway. She stood before a billboard bearing her likeness, her name and the phrases “In loving memory of Valerie Evans” and “Sonoma County Strong.”

Houston “Glyn” Evans, who was married to Valerie for 45 years, was overjoyed.

“To see her standing down there, it's just the greatest thing in the world for me,” Evans, 89, said about the cow. “It's like taking a shot of really good medicine of some kind.”

Because of the property's visibility from the highway, Angel's presence was familiar to commuters and drivers who frequently passed the Evans' home just north of Coffey Park. The firestorm prompted an outpouring of interest, first from community members who feared the cow had died and then from concerned citizens who wanted to help the bovine and the Evans family recover.

A Facebook group titled “Bring Angel Home” had nearly 1,000 members as of Sunday evening. A GoFundMe page of the same name had raised more than $11,300.

“I never knew or had any idea the influence that Angel had on everybody's life,” Houston Evans Jr., son of Glyn and Valerie, said during an apple cider toast Sunday. “I was speechless at the love that we got from everybody and are still getting from everybody.”

Angel's stature was readily apparent Sunday, particularly as state Sen. Mike McGuire presented the Evans family with a resolution honoring the cow and her late caretaker. The resolution was introduced in the state Legislature by McGuire, D-Healdsburg, and Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa.

“Today is another milestone in our road to recovery and normalcy with Angel returned,” McGuire said.

Evans family members said they haven't been able to start rebuilding the home they lost in the fire because the 2-acre Coffey Lane property is still tied up in probate court. Valerie didn't leave a will - or, if she had one, it burned in the fire, Glyn Evans said. But he hopes to have the matter resolved soon.

Until then, Glyn and Houston Evans are living in Penngrove, where Angel also stayed until her homecoming Sunday.

Glyn Evans said he'll gladly go to and from Penngrove to see Angel, feed her and brush her while thinking of Valerie.

“This is the easiest way for me to kind of be in touch with Valerie,” he said. “It brings back a lot of good memories.”

Angel's journey also fostered new friendships in the firestorm's aftermath.

Geyserville resident Sandy Elliott said she connected with the Evans family because her father saw Angel's story covered in the news media and wanted to help. But he lives in Montana, so Elliott had to deliver the $100 check herself.

“When Glyn and I met, I think it was an immediate friendship,” she said during the toast Sunday. “There have been so many people along the way that have helped the Evans family, and it has been my honor to know them and to do anything I could to get her back home.”

Jackie Crawford of Santa Rosa had a similar story.

She was one of the drivers who knew of Angel from driving past on the highway. One day in December, she saw Houston Evans Jr. on the property alone, so she stopped by and asked if anybody was helping him.

“He said no and started crying on me,” Crawford said. “It broke my heart.”

On Sunday, she wore a custom-made pink shirt with “#BringingAngelhome” and “#TeamAngel” written on it.

Previously, she helped make two banners that were hung on the property. One told drivers to “honk if you can't wait to see Angel”and another said the cow would be back soon.

But the banners were taken down by Sunday's gathering, Crawford said, because Angel is finally home now.

You can reach Staff Writer J.D. Morris at 707-521-5337 or jd.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @thejdmorris.