Charlie & Peter’s Emergency Fire Fund

Hey, it’s Charlie.

I’m trying to raise some funds for me and my cat, Peter. On May 9th, the house I shared with my roommates caught fire. Two of us were inside at the time, along with our four cats and two dogs. We all made it out safely—including the animals. I ended up with the worst of it, but thankfully it was only minor injuries. I got hurt because I ran back inside to get the dogs out of their kennels in the basement.

The Red Cross helped us out but their help is limited to two nights in a hotel and they gave us a $300 prepaid Mastercard. As you can imagine, that didn’t last long.

A few days later, we were finally allowed back into the house, hoping to salvage what we could. But when we got there, we found out the house hadn’t been secured and we’d been robbed. Anything that might have survived the fire and had any value was gone—my clothes, electronics, tattoo equipment, laptop, phone cords… basically everything that might’ve made it through was taken.

Since then, it’s been one thing after another. Every day I reach for something else I don’t have anymore—like a water bottle for walks, or a beard trimmer. Some things are small, but others are big—like a bed, sheets, a pillow, or just something to cook and eat food with. It’s been completely exhausting.

I’ve been couch surfing since the fire. I don’t really have many friends here, and only a little bit of family. Peter’s staying with one of the few relatives I have in the city, but there isn’t space for me too. I’ve been trying to find a short-term rental, but they’re expensive. I’m still waiting on my damage deposit from my old landlord, so that’s another thing up in the air.

Honestly, I wasn’t planning on doing a GoFundMe. But between trying to replace basic stuff, find a place to stay, and keep up with day-to-day life, I’m running out of options. Any money raised will go towards the essentials—somewhere to live, basic furniture, cooking gear, stuff for Peter, and a few medications I need.

I know it’s a big ask, but at this point, anything at all helps. Work keeps me distracted, which I’m thankful for—but it’s hard to focus when I’m not even sure where I’m sleeping that night.

Thank you to anyone who’s able to help out, even just a little. Me and Peter are grateful for it, more than I can say.