Help Diane After Devastating House Fire

Help Diane Rebuild After a Devastating House Fire

In the early hours of July 26, our mom and mother-in-law, Diane, lost her home in a fire that destroyed everything she owned. She was out of town visiting a friend at the time — safe, thankfully — but came back to find her home reduced to ashes.

Diane has spent her life giving to others — as a music teacher, a church pianist, and a mom to three children: Jonathan, David, and Andrew. Whether it was for her students, her family, or her community, she’s always been someone who says yes when others need help. Now it’s our turn to support her as she faces the hardest chapter of her life.

The fire took everything: clothes, furniture, important documents, family heirlooms, and decades of memories. She’s currently staying with a friend while we work together as a family to find her a more stable place to live. Insurance may help eventually, but those funds will take time — and her needs are immediate.

We’re also mourning the likely loss of Barley, the sweet 2 year old cat Diane had been lovingly fostering for her daughter-in-law Katie and her mother Tina. Barley was in need of a temporary home due to extenuating circumstances and Diane graciously and without hesitation took him in. Diane adored him, and she cared for him with so much warmth and patience. Animal control has been alerted in case he made it out, and he is reported as “lost” with his microchip company, but we heartbreakingly suspect that the odds are slim.

We’ve created this GoFundMe to help cover the essentials: temporary housing, clothing, household items, document recovery, and legal or logistical support as she begins to rebuild. Any donation — large or small — will make a real difference. If you’re unable to give, sharing this page or sending Diane a kind message would mean the world to all of us. Thank you for keeping her in your thoughts, and for reminding her that she’s not alone in this.

With gratitude,

Jonathan, David, Andrew, Katie, and Tina