The Kat House

My phone rang just before 4 AM on Monday. As I stumbled to get to it, I knew the news couldn’t be good. As it turned out, my brother Jake’s house was on fire. I rushed over, expecting to find a small fire that had been extinguished, with little damage to the house. Instead, I found the entire road blocked and fire trucks everywhere! I told a cop I was a family member, and he allowed me to go through. It was dark, only 12 degrees, and water used to extinguish the flames had frozen all over the road. I was quickly taken to the fire chief’s truck to keep warm. Jake and my mom were inside, and Jake’s wife and kids were with my dad in his truck.

We don’t have many details as to what actually happened. The fire broke out in the laundry room, with an old wall unit heater suspected as the culprit. The house had central heat and air, and the wall unit had not been used in years, so there must have been a wiring problem. The fire quickly spread through the house, and my brother woke just in time to get the family out safely. Unfortunately, the family cat, Tinkerbell, perished in the fire.  A pet goldfish also didn’t make it.

Jake believes that an angel, or perhaps a spirit, is the reason he and his family are alive today. Apparently a woman came to him in his dream and warned him of the impending danger. You can read the news story here.  It’s certainly comforting to think that we have guardian angels looking after us, but I can’t honestly say why my brother woke when he did.  But we certainly thank God that everyone is safe.  The fire inspector said that if it had taken even a minute or two longer for my brother to wake up, it is likely that the family would not have made it out of the house.

It was hours after the fire was extinguished before we were allowed to walk through the house.  It was absolutely heartbreaking.  With the exception of a few items stored in the garage and the sun room, it was almost a complete loss.  Even the kids’ Christmas gifts had burned up.

It really is true that every cloud has a silver lining.  This tragedy has allowed the family to find the true meaning of Christmas.  They are alive and well – and completely overwhelmed by the generosity of the community.  Friends, neighbors, and complete strangers have stepped forward, donating gift cards, cash, clothing, and toys.  The entire family would like to extend their thanks to everyone who has thought of them during this difficult time.

Here’s a recent photo of my nephews, Carter and Aiden.  I just saw them this morning at my parents’ house.  They were having a great time, eating cookies and playing with their many donated toys.  Their parents are currently getting settled into temporary housing.  They should find out more about the status of their homeowner’s insurance claim in the coming days.  Please keep them in your thoughts.