Help Sydney & Jack Rebuild After a Devastating House Fire

Early in the morning on Saturday, August 22, my friends Sydney and Jack’s home caught fire. In a matter of moments, they lost their home and nearly everything they owned.

Thankfully, Sydney and Jack arrived home just in time after a late-night performance in a community theatre show. When they arrived, they found their home in flames. After calling emergency services, they rushed to save their two beloved Goldendoodles, Roku and Zuko, who were trapped inside. Jack was able to break through a glass door and rescue both dogs from the home.

We are incredibly grateful that Sydney, Jack, Roku, and Zuko are all safe and well.

Lovingly known to their students as Ms. Wiss and Mr. Jack, Sydney and Jack have dedicated their lives to education, the arts, and their community.

For the past five years, Sydney has been a dedicated educator in the St. Johns County School District, where she currently teaches theatre and chorus and serves as the director of her school’s theatre program. Jack is a music teacher and mental health counselor who specializes in working with neurodivergent youth. Together, they have touched the lives of hundreds of students and volunteered countless hours creating opportunities for students to experience music, theatre, and the performing arts.

They have always been the kind of people who are there to lend a helping hand and invest in others without ever expecting anything in return.

Now, they need a helping hand of their own.

Sydney and Jack have lost nearly everything: their clothes, furniture, household belongings, and countless irreplaceable memories. Among the things lost were photographs, family keepsakes, personal letters, music equipment, and cherished mementos from former students and years of their lives.

The money raised through this GoFundMe will help Sydney and Jack secure a new place to live, replace essential belongings, care for their dogs, and begin the long process of rebuilding their lives after this devastating loss.

Most importantly, it will give them the opportunity to find stability again and return to doing what they love most: serving their theatre community and spreading love and joy.

Any amount helps. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family, and community means just as much.

Thank you for helping Sydney, Jack, Roku, and Zuko begin to rebuild their lives. ❤️