Phoenix Fund
Donation protected
On Wednesday March 8, 2019 around 2:30 am I woke to sirens, screams, and a lot of things I couldn't comprehend. Living on a busy street with several bars on either side of our house, these sounds weren't unusual. But there was a loud roar and strange crackling, popping sounds, and my bedroom was completely illuminated with a bright light. This was strange because I had blackout curtains on my windows. I had just gone to bed about a little over an hour before, having stayed up late to work on homework. I groggily walked down the hall to my living room, intending to look out my front window to see what the commotion was about. My entire living room was illuminated a dangerous orange, and I think I somehow saw flames through the windows. I was able to put on some tennis shoes, grab my keys, and I ran to the bedroom to grab my leopard gecko, Stumpy, and put her in a small travel cage, and made it out the back stairway. By that time the front stairway, my regular entrance, was engulfed in flames. Once out the back door, I saw the horrific scene - the house next door at 1074 Elmwood Ave was completely on fire, and the fire had spread to our house, 1076/1078 Elmwood Ave. The house on fire blocked my exit, and the rest of our property was surrounded by a fence. I found a low spot in the ground and was able to squeeze underneath the fence and reach back to grab Stumpy. A police officer saw me and led me away to a safe area.
Everyone in our house (4 people), including all the pets (2 dogs, 2 cats, and Stumpy), made it out safely. Of the 5 individuals living at 1074, only 4 survived and have been hospitalized since. The house at 1074 burned to nothing in less than a couple of hours, so much that they will likely be unable to determine what caused the fire. Our house was split into three apartment units on three floors. My apartment was on the top floor, and sustained catastrophic damage - the roof was essentially gone and all my belongings lost to fire, smoke, soot, and water damage. The entire house has been deemed uninhabitable.
As many of you know, I am generally not one to ask for help. I am asking for your help now. I have made an effort to seek assistance from student relief funds at school, and organizations like the Red Cross, with a little success. I am receiving incredible support from my friends, classmates, professors, and other administrators at school. Although I did have renter's insurance, I am still in need of financial assistance to help cover costs that aren't covered. My fiancé, my best friend, and my rock, has taken an unpaid leave of absence from work to be here with me. Your donation would help to offset some of the wages he is losing. These wages normally pay for things like our mortgage, cell phones, and car payments. It would also help to cover the expense of food and eating while we are currently staying in a hotel, as well as replacing a small number of necessary items for me.
On top of everything, I am trying to wrap up and finish my second year of grad school in Buffalo, NY. I am currently planning to continue with my summer internship in Detroit, MI, the week-long workshop in northern Maine in August, and moving to Baltimore, MD at the end of August for my third year internship (and final year of grad school). I cannot change what has happened, and so I am trying my best to move on and move forward, working my way back to some kind of normal. I appreciate any support you can offer.
Everyone in our house (4 people), including all the pets (2 dogs, 2 cats, and Stumpy), made it out safely. Of the 5 individuals living at 1074, only 4 survived and have been hospitalized since. The house at 1074 burned to nothing in less than a couple of hours, so much that they will likely be unable to determine what caused the fire. Our house was split into three apartment units on three floors. My apartment was on the top floor, and sustained catastrophic damage - the roof was essentially gone and all my belongings lost to fire, smoke, soot, and water damage. The entire house has been deemed uninhabitable.
As many of you know, I am generally not one to ask for help. I am asking for your help now. I have made an effort to seek assistance from student relief funds at school, and organizations like the Red Cross, with a little success. I am receiving incredible support from my friends, classmates, professors, and other administrators at school. Although I did have renter's insurance, I am still in need of financial assistance to help cover costs that aren't covered. My fiancé, my best friend, and my rock, has taken an unpaid leave of absence from work to be here with me. Your donation would help to offset some of the wages he is losing. These wages normally pay for things like our mortgage, cell phones, and car payments. It would also help to cover the expense of food and eating while we are currently staying in a hotel, as well as replacing a small number of necessary items for me.
On top of everything, I am trying to wrap up and finish my second year of grad school in Buffalo, NY. I am currently planning to continue with my summer internship in Detroit, MI, the week-long workshop in northern Maine in August, and moving to Baltimore, MD at the end of August for my third year internship (and final year of grad school). I cannot change what has happened, and so I am trying my best to move on and move forward, working my way back to some kind of normal. I appreciate any support you can offer.
Organizer
Nicole Flam
Organizer
Waite Park, MN
