NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A yellow smiley-face flag waves in the wind in the middle of Sal Rossi's yard in Donelson — a symbol neighbors say captured the spirit of the man they lost last week in a deadly house fire.
Rossi, 74, died in the fire on Hunters Hill Road, which investigators are treating as accidental. His brother-in-law had been trying to start a fire on the screened-in porch to stay warm when the flames spread to the home. The brother-in-law was treated for minor injuries.
In the wake of the tragedy, neighbors made the decision to turn the flag upside down in honor of Rossi — just as he had done years earlier when his wife, Candy, died after a battle with breast cancer.
"When his wife Candy passed, he turned the flag upside down. He didn't leave it that way for long, but it was symbolic of a passing and remembrance and sorrow that comes along with losing someone so close," Neighbor Jenny White said.
Neighbor Jenny White returned to Rossi's home for the first time since the fire. She described the neighborhood as more than a collection of houses — it was a community that gathered often.
"Happy hours, and pool parties and we celebrated the one year after the tornado," White said.
She remembered Rossi as clever, funny and deeply caring, especially during the years his wife battled breast cancer.
"Sadly, she had breast cancer through most of that time period, and he was an amazing caregiver and loved her and encouraged her and took care of her until the end," White said.
That devotion left a lasting mark on everyone who knew him.
"Sal had a lovely sense of humor and he truly cared. He was a wonderful caregiver for his wife and her family," White explained.
The fire, White said, was a loss that went far beyond the physical damage to the home.
"The fire was devastating for the home and really devastating for us as neighbors, because he was our friend," White said.
White does not know how long the flag will remain upside down. But she said the loss will not fade quickly.
"It's left a lasting impression on all of us," White said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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