House Fire Relief

On November the 3rd 2023 at approximately 2:20 AM my mother, Jane Huston called my phone frantically trying to get ahold of somebody fearing for her life. Fast asleep I mistook this call from my mother as my alarm and pushed the snooze button. Its a decision I'll regret for the rest of my life. Little did I know my mother was in fear for her life and home as her entire garage and home was being engulfed in flames! Not being able to contact me she hurriedly put her phone down in order to get dressed and exit her home. Not realizing she had been forwarded to my voicemail I was able to hear her frantic conversation between her and my father later.

Fortunately I live close by and she was able to make it to my place and knock on my door. Yelling and screaming my name she told me that the house was on fire. Half asleep I stumbled out of bed not fully compromising what she was telling me. "On fire, I questioned? What do you mean, I asked?" "The garage is on fire and so is our car, she yelled!"

I hurriedly threw on some clothes and rushed outside. I ran towards the front of the residence in the dark. But before I reached the front I could already see heavy smoke and my dad standing in the adjacent driveway with his hands on his head. I ran towards him and as soon as I reached his position I seen the flames. At first I couldn't process what I was looking at and stood there in shock for a moment.

My moms only functioning vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The car was parked directly underneath the garage and it appeared it had jumped to the building. I asked my father what happened and he said he didn't know what happened. It appeared to me that the car had caught fire and spread to the garage. Its an older car and my father had started it up earlier and it must have overheated.

As the flames cracked and popped I watched it slowly inch up the side of the garage and overtake the roof portion. "Has anybody called 911, I yelled!" My mother frantically said they had but its taking so long. In horror I watched it slowly overtake the garage and move towards the center part of the house. I felt utterly helpless. This house was originally built by my late grandfather and my mother grew up in this same house that she now lives in. I can only imagine what my mother was thinking as she watched her childhood home slip away and I can only imagine what I might have been able to do if I had simply answered my phone.

A day later as I surveyed the scene it appears the house is not structurally sound. Their power has been turned off and everything boarded up. Both of my parents are on a fixed retirement income and are elderly not able to work. They are living in a hotel as of now. They have lost their only transportation and are not able to live in their home. They are still paying their mortgage as well and they are renting a car on a credit card. Fortunately the insurance adjuster is coming out in a couple of days, but until then they have all their living expenses that are piling up in addition to their mortgage.

Please help me help my mother and father in their time of need. 100% of all funds are going to my mother and she will decide how to utilize them to pay their expenses. I am so thankful that she made it out of the house and is alive today as well as my father. I have told her I will help her in any way I can. Any amount is appreciated but most of all keep them in your prayers. Thank you.