Help Patches the pitbull & his owner after fire

Maria Velapoldi is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Yesterday, March 14th, around 1:20 PM a fire broke out on the 6th floor (top floor) of 24 Caryl Avenue. Patches was home in our 5th floor apt. while his owner William Velapoldi was at work. Immediately after getting the call at work, William rushed to the home he’s lived at since 1985, raised three kids to adulthood in, played with his grandkids in, hosted Christmas every single year in, was up in the flames and his dog nowhere in sight. Firefighters were thankfully able to get in and save Patches who was trying to escape from the 5th floor kitchen window, as he is terrified of smoke to begin with.

Everyone is safe, except a few scrapes from trying to escape but over 30 years of memories and belongings are now waterlogged and damaged. We don’t know the extent of the damage yet, as the structure is still not safe to enter. It may never be a livable building again. Please help out any way you can, Patches and our family greatly appreciate it.

Patches being reunited with his owner.

Patches scared and being checked out.

Firefighters trying to put out the fire on the sixth floor. Our apartment is the fifth floor right under where they are working to extinguish the flames.

You can see through the sixth floor window, there is no longer a roof on the building. You can also see the window below it where Patches was trying to escape.