He died in Myrtle Beach house fire trying to save wife. She shares his final act
Leona Cheslick woke to flames on the night of Dec. 23.
She watched as her husband, Vernon Everette “EZ” Short, tried to put out the fire, which had reached their bed. Short ushered his wife out of their Myrtle Beach house to safety in a final act of selflessness. He, however, never made it out.
Short, 64, died in the fire at his Lexi Lane residence just days before Christmas 2025. Short’s unexpected death caused shock among his many friends in the community .
But Short’s loved ones, especially his wife, felt his absence immediately.
“We had a beautiful relationship,” Cheslick said, reminiscing on their years spent side-by-side, or together on one of their bike rides.
When Short and his wife woke to the fire, Cheslick said that he “insisted” she get out of the house to safety. She made it out of the house and was taken to the hospital for injuries.
She is now recovering well, but her husband died at some point as he was trying to put out the fire.
She remains unsure of what caused the fire, and whether Short succumbed to a heart attack or another cause. Explosions from the blaze woke some of the couple’s neighbors, and friends have since speculated that these blasts came from Cheslick and Short’s oxygen tanks heating up in the fire.
The coroner’s office has not been able to officially identify Short as the victim of the fire due to the extent of his injuries, according to an email from Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard.
The couple had been together for more than 30 years, and Cheslick described her husband as someone who “always had everything under control, all the time.” It was one of the things she admired most about him.
But what stood out even more than his level-headedness was his unwavering generosity. Cheslick spoke about her late husband with passion, repeatedly calling him “just awesome” as she tried to find the words to encapsulate their decades-long partnership.
Friends and family remember him as a well-known local business owner, photographer and generous friend who was always there to lend a hand.
“He was always there for everyone,” Cheslick said. “He cared for everybody.”
Friends remember EZ’s generosity, caring spirit
Short’s generous spirit led him to make friends throughout the community, particularly through his cab service, EZ Cabs, and his work as a photographer and writer for The Carolinas Full Throttle Magazine.
Cheslick recalled days spent riding on the back of Short’s motorcycles, taking photos while Short drove. Once they stopped, Short would take over the photography duties, memorializing joyful moments from local biker gatherings.
“He’s best described as a quiet legend in the biker community,” said one of his longtime friends, Don Emery.
Emery said that Short had been sick and in pain for many months leading up to the fire, and said he knows his friend is at peace now.
One of Short and Cheslick’s friends of more than 20 years, Leah Harmon, described Short as “an absolutely amazing man.”
“If you ever needed anything, EZ was the person to call, no matter the time of day or night,” she said.
Harmon recalled an instance during the Christmas season one year, when Short bought her son a bass guitar and told her to take credit for the gift. She was taken aback by his generosity, but said she knew the gift would be even more special if her son knew it came from Short and Cheslick.
Another family friend, Donica Kinslow, who knew Short for about 18 years, called Short “the dad I never had, but kind of the dad you always need.”
Celebration of life to be held on Short’s birthday
Emery shared that a celebration of life will be held for Short at noon March 8, his birthday, at Suck Bang Blow in Murrells Inlet.
The celebration will also serve as a fundraiser to help Cheslick get back on her feet after she “lost everything” when the house was “totally engulfed in flames,” including her husband, dog and house, Emery said.
“You’re never prepared for something that horrible,” Emery said.
Cheslick is currently staying with friends. Emery said he knows the community will rise up to provide support in her time of need.
