A few days ago, our father’s home — part of the McGee family for nearly 80 years — burned down. In just minutes, generations of memories and so much of our family’s history was gone.

Growing up, visiting my grandmother’s house felt like stepping back in time. Everything was preserved with such care it, it became like a family museum — our grandparents’ cups from every Derby they attended starting in the 1950s, a family member’s pin from the 1880s World Expo in Louisville, my dad’s childhood toys, a record of our grandfather’s voice who died in the 1970s, and countless irreplaceable photos of loved ones. All of it lost in a single night.

The fire broke out around 1 a.m, while the house slept. Thankfully, a passerby stopped and woke my father and sister, who barely escaped with the dogs and only the clothes they wore to bed. Tragically, we lost a beloved member of the family — Rachel’s cat, Smokey and our hearts are completely broken.

Fire is swift and unforgiving, and in an instant, everything can disappear.

Our dear friend Rita also lost everything in the fire, though she thankfully was able to escape with her dog, Jake. I’ve set up this GoFundMe to help her replace some of what she lost. Our family has known Rita for nearly 40 years. She has always shown up for us — especially for our grandmother in the last years of her life. Now it’s our turn to show up for her.