Just When Things Were Looking Up
On Thursday, February 22nd, my sister-in-law Caroline had a fast-moving fire rip through her home in Brookfield, Ct.
Luckily, no one was hurt, but the fire severely damaged her home.
Given just minutes to enter her home to retrieve a night's worth of her possessions, Caroline stashed handfuls of her daughters' clothes, a stuffed animal, and a family album into a bin. Meanwhile, her kids, barefoot in the parking lot, waited for her.
Facing the wreckage, Caroline heaved and sobbed, seeing shattered glass on her couch, fingers of ash climbing the walls around the kids' beds, and nothingness in a place that was pretty much everything to Caroline and her family. Warning her of irreparable smoke damage, firefighters restrained Caroline as she reached desperately for her daughter's painting. Many such items had to be left behind.
Since then, we've discovered Caroline's insurance will cover some but not all of the damage; specifically, her policy will not cover the destroyed furniture, appliances, and housewares or the expenses she sustains during her time outside of her home.
Caroline works hard as a physician's assitant to support her family, but, as a single mother, she doesn't have much of a safety net for this kind of devastation.
She and her three young daughters-- ages 15, 13, and 11-- will need funds to put their home back together and get their lives back on track.
Loss is humbling. Please know that your support, no matter how little, will go a long way. Every contribution toward Caroline and her family's recovery is a voice of hope. If you're able to share your generosity, please consider making a contribution now. We know Caroline and her family will be deeply grateful for any sum that you can manage. Thank you from us and on behalf of Caroline and her kids!
My husband, Jonathan Hilpert (Caroline's brother), and I are extremely grateful for your support throughout this difficult period. We look forward to these funds helping Caroline and her girls to start their home again.
