Dick & Suzan Tarr House Fire Fundraiser

On Friday morning, June 27, 2025, my parents' house, my childhood home, caught on fire. It started in the kitchen and appears to have been the microwave, even though no one was using it at the time of the fire. Thankfully, the fire seems to have been contained to the kitchen, but the whole house has smoke damage.

Dad had just left for work shortly before it happened. Mom was still in the house sleeping. She heard banging, which we now believe may have been the microwave falling off the wall, and that is what woke her up to a smoke-filled room. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know what was going on. She thought Dad was still downstairs trying to put out the fire. She then called 911, and they were able to talk her through the panic and get her out of the house.

My awesome little brother, Rick, was able to get there fast and attempted to get Mom off the roof but couldn't find a ladder tall enough. However, since he knew Mom was safe and is a fireman himself, he was able to have enough sense to open the doors for the other firemen, so they didn't have to break down the doors or anything. He said there was black smoke pouring out of the house.

Mom was taken to ACMH for smoke inhalation but is thankfully OK, physically.

They are currently staying in a hotel for the time being and will be working on getting an apartment to stay at while work at the house gets started. While the insurance company is taking care of a lot, they still need some help.

The hotel room they are in does not have a kitchenette for them to cook, only a microwave. The fridge is just a mini fridge. They are going to need to eat out, which is going to get costly until they are both back to work. Dad plans on going back soon, but Mom worked from home and will need her equipment replaced before she can start working again.

They are also finding they need "the little things" that most of us take for granted every day, like nail clippers, bandages, even hair ties and a hairbrush for Mom. Of course, my siblings and I got stuff for them, but they are going to need other "little things" that pop up as we all think of them.

They are able to save some of their clothes but have to wash them at a laundromat due to the soot and use a special soap to help get the smoke smell out, which will be expensive.

So, on behalf of my parents, I am kindly asking for any and all monetary donations for the time being. Once they are more settled and have an apartment or wherever they might be going, we can take food donations as well. Right now, they don't have the space at the hotel for anything, and us kids are going to try to do some home cooking for them as well, in between all the craziness that will be happening the next few weeks.

So, if you're able to donate, please do! ❤️

If you can't, but still want to help out, share this so others can see. We appreciate all the love, kindness, prayers, good thoughts, good juju, well wishes, and help. You have no idea! Thank you, everyone! ❤️