TOLEDO, Ohio — On Sept. 20, 2022, Ben and Max Morrissey came to work at what was then known as the BP-Husky oil refinery.
They never came home.
It was 11 years ago at Ye Ole Cock N' Bull that Darah met Max Morrissey.
"I was very resistant," Darah Morrissey said. "I wasn't looking for a boyfriend or anything."
But there was something about Max.
"He was silly and goofy," Darah said. "He actually called his best friend the next morning and said 'I met the one' and his best friend Spencer said 'who?' and he said 'Darah Bihn,' and Spencer said 'there is no way Darah would like you!'"
Max must have known, because the two got legally married in September 2015 and then had their wedding in Mexico in February 2016.
That's when the newly-married Mr. and Mrs. Morrissey would introduce the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Morrissey.
"We met in Mexico, at Max and Darah's wedding," Kaddie Morrissey said.
The two would get married a few years later.
The family kept expanding when Darah and Max welcomed Wilde and Recker.
Kaddie and Ben welcomed Weslee and found out there was another on the way.
"Life was pretty perfect," Kaddie said. "I mean, we just moved home, found out I was pregnant, we were about to finish remodeling this house and it was good."
It was Sept. 20, 2022.
"I got a phone call at 6:53, from his co-worker, Tom, and he was calling to tell me Max was hurt," Darah said, "I tried to call Ben and he didn't answer, I thought Ben could help me."
There had been a fire at the refinery. Kaddie was at Ben and Max's parents' house.
"We were getting ready to cook dinner and we get a phone call from Darah saying Max was hurt," Kaddie said, "and I was starting to get nervous because at that point I couldn't get ahold of Ben."
Ben hadn't called or come home.
"I watched the ambulance leave BP (refinery) and at that time, I didn't know Ben was in one of them," Kaddie said.
Both were still alive when they were taken to the hospital.
"They were both walking, talking, fully communicating," Darah said. "They both were awake when they got to the hospital."
Kaddie said the two were intubated and transported to the University of Michigan's medical center.
"It wasn't until we got to Ann Arbor that they said they won't make it," Darah said.
Darah said she didn't know much about burns at the time, but was told there wasn't enough skin to graft burned areas.
"Every inch was burned, except for his toes," Darah said.
Kaddie said that Ben and Max passed 16 minutes apart from one another.
"When he passed, I was six to eight weeks pregnant," Kaddie said. "I knew I wanted to name her after him."
Kaddie named the baby girl Benna Ray Morrissey. Kaddie picked the middle name "Ray" because of the amount of light Benna has brought her and Ben's family through the past year.
"You have a high of being so happy and a baby bliss, on top of the world because you have a new baby," Kaddie said. "But then it sunk in that my husband won't be here for any of her firsts. Not a single one."
Kaddie said Ben knew she was pregnant, but didn't know yet that they were having a little girl.
For the family, it's been a year they said has stood still.
"How have I gone 365 days without Max? I cannot figure it out," Darah said. "I have to explain to a 3- and a 5-year-old when they ask 'where's daddy?' he's never coming back."
Darah said Max had the biggest heart.
"He was like Super Dad," Darah said. "Max was there for everything."
When it came to Ben, Kaddie said having a daughter would have made him into that "squishy guy" because he was a tough-love kind of guy.
"Ben was the most even-keeled person. He was a provider and a supporter and a very genuine person," Kaddie said. "It would have been really sweet to see him with his daughter."
"I try to put a smile on my face all the time because I know Max wouldn't want us to be sad," Darah said. "It's just not the same."