Aid for Fire Recovery and Funeral Costs

Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life. I was sitting in my room watching the news when the power went off, and then on again, and then off again. Suddenly, I heard a man knocking on my window saying, “Your house is on fire.” I walked outside and looked in disbelief as flames erupted from my garage. Before even thinking about it, I ran inside to get my 78-year-old dad, James Dwight Mitchell Sr. He got up as fast as he could. By the time we were halfway out of the house, I had to get down on all fours and crawl to be able to breathe. When I emerged outside coughing, all kinds of people I didn’t know asked me questions. I looked at the doorway and realized Dad wasn’t behind me. “There is an almost 80-year-old man inside,” I yelled. I could hardly take my eyes off the doorway. Finally, they cut the front door off to facilitate loading my father, clearly unconscious, onto a gurney. Shortly after we arrived at the hospital, they moved us to the “family suite,” a room with multiple chairs in a circle, at the center of which there is a table with a box of tissues. About ten minutes later, our worst suspicions were confirmed as a doctor explained that even if they could get his heart started, he’d be brain dead. The decision to pull the plug, as per my dad’s wishes, was made. After we sat for some time over my dad’s body, we returned home to flashing lights and a number of firemen still there working on the house. The damage was far more severe than we thought. To top it off, my parents had just signed up for new home insurance which won’t kick in for at least two weeks. It hasn’t been officially determined that the house is unlivable, but it definitely is. Most of our stuff is ruined. I had to shut down my reselling business due to the fact that 90% of my merchandise was in the garage. Thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

So in the course of one day, I lost my business, my stuff, and my home. Not to mention funeral expenses and the myriad of other financial decisions to make. I’m not expecting to make the full amount I projected for this GoFundMe, but anything that anyone could spare would be more than appreciated. Me and my mom are at a loss for what to do or where to go.

Thank you sincerely,

James D. Mitchell Sr.