On January 17th, our daughter Alexa, her partner Max, his 4 young boys (ages 4 – 9), and his grandmother experienced a devastating tragedy that many of us fear…..a house fire that they weren’t able to contain. Thankfully everyone made it out safely and Max’s burns from trying to extinguish the fire were not severe! Unfortunately, the entire home and its contents were destroyed. Nothing was salvageable.

As you can imagine, this has been an incredibly stressful time for them all as they deal with the loss of their home as well as irreplaceable sentimental items.

But through it all, they have been blessed with the love and support of their Montana community, family and friends. The Red Cross and so many individuals and local businesses have been amazing, providing temporary housing, food, clothing and donations in the immediate aftermath. And Alexa’s family and friends in New England and beyond have also been very supportive. We are so grateful for the outpouring of care and compassion they’ve received!!

As of January 26th, Alexa, Max, and crew are renting a home from a generous community member. This was such a blessing as it eliminated the fear of homelessness - an incredible stress relief!

Rebuilding their lives will take time and they need help to replace the essential items that were lost in the fire. Numerous individuals have generously reached out to ask how they can help either financially or through donated goods. We created this recovery fund to help them purchase furniture, bedding, clothing, household goods, and other necessities. They will also need to replace electronics like laptops to get back to school and work.

We truly appreciate any financial contribution you can make to the family. Your generosity will help them to regain stability and begin to heal.

With heartfelt thanks,

Tim and Lisa Barnes