Aid the Wakeman Family After Devastating Fire

At midnight on May 11th, Mother’s Day, the south side of our house caught on fire. My father, Francis, woke up to the sound of flames before quickly rushing him and my brother, Rufus, out of the house. They ran out quickly without clothes and shoes. They came out of the fire safe and unhurt. Unfortunately, our cat, Pandora, is missing, and unsure of her whereabouts.

Our house had centuries of family heirlooms. We were lucky enough that our grandmother’s urn was untouched, and Little Crow’s gun from the 1860s was safe. But my deceased brother, Ronnie’s, belongings were destroyed in the fire. His teddy bear, his clay footprints, birth certificate, obituary, and pictures were lost in the fire. My grandmother’s cardigans and jackets were also lost. She passed away in August 2023. We were still slowly figuring out what to do with her belongings. I was hoping to keep them. In the other room were diplomas belonging to me and my dad. The fire completely obliterated my brother’s room and mine. We lost clothes, personal belongings, school supplies, and more memorabilia.

Despite the loss of many family heirlooms, everyone is safe. We saved the most important things we could think of the afternoon after the fire (5/11). Although we didn't save everything we wanted. We analyzed the remains, and the south side is completely gone. The north side of the house had extreme smoke damage that was too much for repairs.

Our family has lived in that house for decades, and multiple generations have resided in it. My grandmother took her last breaths there, and my grandfather lived his final weeks there before being transferred to the hospital. Many family members decided to spend their final days in our home. It was our sacred space. Nothing can replace that. We have no choice but to rebuild.

Our family has always been independent. It feels strange to be writing this, but we can do nothing to get back on our feet ourselves. My father is getting older, my brother is only in middle school, and I’m graduating college soon. Our lives have been completely changed because of the fire. I never would have expected it to happen like this. This was our worst nightmare. It feels beyond strange to ask for help, but we know we cannot do this alone. Our lives have been uprooted from a place where our roots ran so deep.

Losing our home feels like the death of a loved one. Our home was a person, and our home was alive. It had an energy one can’t describe. We respected it and cherished it. We protected our house, and the house protected us. We have never had an accident like this happen. We never thought this would happen. It feels unreal.

Any donation is greatly appreciated. Pidamaya ye.

Rachel Wakeman