Hi, my name is Joel. My best friend, Tom and his wife Erica just lost their home, their dog Zoey and most, if not all of their belongings. They are currently staying with family with only the clothes they are currently wearing. Tom and Erica have been members of the Grand Blanc community since 1982. They purchased their home near MaplePoint in 2002, raised their daughter and their dog, Zoey. The fire took place the afternoon of December 16, 2023, while they were shopping at Nehring's Market. Unfortunately, their faithful companion, Zoey succumbed to smoke inhalation and passed before Tom could retrieve her from the house. Tom and Erika are hurting, in shock and just trying to cope with this traumatic situation. Thank you to the random stranger that stopped and called 911 when they saw the smoke.

Tom and Erika are the most giving people I know, not only financially, but also of their time; always willing to help friends/family/neighbors in need. Anything you could contribute to assist them in getting back on their feet will be greatly appreciated. They lost many things that can never be replaced, but helping them with the basic necessities to just live, get to work, eat, etc would be of tremendous help. Thank you and God bless you.