Help Logan Square Family Rise from Ashes

Hello, my name is Julia Durbin. I’m raising funds for my dad, Gary Durbin, and my grandma, Aline Durbin, as their lives have been turned upside-down from a recent house fire.

My family has lived in Logan Square for decades – over 40 years. We are lucky to have experienced many cherished moments among family, friends, and loved ones in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, those memories are all that remain as a fire destroyed their home on the evening of Friday, April 19.

My dad and his energetic, lovable dog Bandit have become known figures in the community. Thankfully, they were both outside when the fire occurred and are physically fine. Thanks to a kind stranger passing by and taking action to kick down a door and carry her out, my grandma is also physically okay along with her dog. Unfortunately, our two cats did not survive.

The house, an old wood frame build, went up quickly and suffered unfathomable damage, requiring around 100 firefighters to put out the flames. The roof burned through, the back stairwell is gone, the attic collapsed into the second floor, and the basement completely flooded. The extent means my family now is starting from new. My dad and grandma left with only the clothes on their back – for my grandma, an old nightgown and some slippers. On the bright side, things are replaceable, while people are not.

We have received a tremendous amount of concern and messages of support from neighbors since the fire began, and we are incredibly touched and appreciative. Sadly, what comes next is difficult, lengthy, and costly. For those who would like to help, we would be grateful for any amount that can contribute - primarily to secure lodging and obtain essentials while we work toward recovering from this unbelievable loss.

We are grateful for any donations or sharing of this fundraiser. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank our neighbors who have come together to offer messages of hope and love during this time. We are overwhelmed with how the community has shown its strength, and words cannot communicate how much we wish we could express our appreciation.