Help Kelsey Rise From the Ashes
“We’re all one phone call from our knees.”
Kels called me at 11:41 on Monday night as soon as she exited her apartment building that was on fire. It was a call and a drive I will never forget.
Kelsey was in bed, but not yet asleep, in her third floor apartment when she heard someone yelling “FIRE.” The alarm wasn’t going off, but she could tell from the tone that it was serious, so she jumped out of bed, threw on pants and a jacket, grabbed her phone, keys, and ID. She tried to get her cat, Finnegan, but he bolted, and she knew she couldn’t take the time to try to catch him. She opened her door to the hallway as the fire alarms started and ran for the door to the closest stairs. When she opened the door, she was met with what she described as “raining fire.” She turned and ran for the stairs at the opposite end of the building and was able to exit safely.
By the time I arrived 45 minutes later, the fire seemed contained, but was still burning, and they needed to continue spraying water for hours. During that time, we were able to make them aware of Finn’s situation, and they were able to successfully catch him, despite the fact that he put up quite a chase.
The brunt of the burn affected the unit next to Kelsey’s and the attic above her. From the outside, it does not look like the fire itself reached her unit, but the ceiling in her living room and kitchen look to be exposed due to the roof collapsing. Because of the amount of water needed to extinguish the fire, we are expecting extensive water damage, as well as “fire mud” and smoke damage, but we have not been able to enter the building to assess, and we may not ever be allowed to. The property management company is in charge of those decisions at this point and have said that it is an hour by hour decision due to safety concerns.
Although we doubt that much is salvageable, we are hoping to get a look inside to take photos to help with the inventorying process. Kelsey has insurance, but it will be a lengthy process, and it will be difficult, if not impossible, to try to remember everything that she had. Although insurance will cover the items that need replacing, I anticipate that we won’t think of everything, and there will be things that won’t be remembered until she goes to use them in the future. For example, when she goes to take a hike and remembers a certain piece of equipment or gadget that she used to have. Or when she goes to pack for a trip and realizes she doesn’t have something. Or when winter hits again and she remembers a piece of cold weather gear. All of those things add up, and your contribution would help for those situations, as well as helping to alleviate the mental load she is currently bearing in trying to start the inventory process.
So many people have asked how they can help, so contributing to this fundraiser is one way to do so. I know people have different levels of comfort in how they prefer to contribute, so here are some other ideas if this isn’t your jam:
- gift cards to L.L. Bean, Target, Amazon, REI, Bed Bath and Beyond
- letter writing to her favorite musicians to replace the memorabilia that was lost (please contact me for details)
- contributing to a housewarming shower that my aunt is going to help organize once Kels has a new place
If you’re questioning why I’m asking for help even though she has insurance, I’d ask you to also consider the mental and emotional toll this is going to take on her. Kelsey is a single person who works diligently for NH’s Department of Environmental Services. She is thoughtful, selfless, and fiercely loyal. She keeps her social circles small, but is loved by so many, and this is a chance for us to show her our love to help her overcome this traumatic experience. I also hope that music will help her heal. Despite being someone who keeps to herself, she LOVES attending concerts and feeds off the energy from a good show for days afterwards. How amazing would it be if she had some extra funds to attend more shows than her budget would otherwise allow?! I truly think it would help her heal.
If you have any other ideas or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
We greatly appreciate the support that has been shown so far, and we thank you in advance for helping her heal and move forward.
With gratitude,
The Vaughn/Pelkey Family
