Support Dan to Rebuild and Recover from House Fire

On the night of January 7th, my father, Dan McQuaid, experienced a devastating tragedy when his house caught fire. That evening, Dan heard a sudden pop coming from the garage. When he went to investigate, he discovered smoke billowing from the hood of his truck.

Dan acted quickly, trying to extinguish the fire and move the vehicle out of the garage. However, the flames spread rapidly, filling the garage with thick smoke and making it difficult for him to see his way out. Thankfully, he managed to locate the garage door opener and rushed to the breaker box to cut power to the house, hoping to prevent further damage. At that point, the fire had spread too quickly for him to do more. Dan immediately called 911 and evacuated the house as the flames began engulfing the garage and spreading to the rest of the structure.

The fire department arrived on the scene within five minutes and worked tirelessly to contain and extinguish the fire. In their efforts, they had to cut holes in the roof over the kitchen and dining room areas to deploy sprinklers. Their quick response and professionalism made all the difference in preventing the fire from causing even greater devastation. My father and the rest of our family are incredibly grateful for their efforts and for the kindness and clarity they showed my dad throughout this difficult experience.

Despite the fire being extinguished, the damage to the house was severe. My dad’s home suffered significant fire, water, and smoke damage, and most of his belongings were lost. My dad is a minimalist, but his garage held all of his most valuable items. As a well-versed mechanic, I would often find him spending more time in the garage, tinkering away on projects, than anywhere else in the house. Honestly, that’s one of my favorite things about him.

His garage contained countless tools that he had collected and used since his early twenties. By no means was he a hoarder; everything tool was meticulously organized and each had its purpose. From fixing vehicles and tractors to ATVs, motorcycles, and boats, my dad’s garage was his haven. My Dad used that space not only to work on his own projects, but also to help friends, neighbors, and family whenever they needed something fixed.

In the fire, my dad also lost his motorcycle and truck. Though both vehicles were older, they were in pristine condition thanks to his care and maintenance. They weren’t just modes of transportation; they were a part of who he was. Anyone who knows my dad can easily picture him cruising around town on his motorcycle or in his red truck. Losing them, along with his tools and the garage, has been a difficult thing to grasp.

The house itself is uninhabitable due to the extensive damage from the fire, water, and smoke. While we are fortunate that my dad has homeowners' insurance, we know that insurance companies often don’t account for the value of years of care and repair when assessing items. For someone like my dad, who fixes rather than replaces, the loss is deeply personal, and the financial compensation may not reflect the true worth of what’s gone.

Right now, my dad is left without a home, a vehicle, or even clothes-most of which were ruined by the smoke and soot. Unfortunately, he’s starting from scratch. We are so happy that he is safe and know the path ahead will be a long and uncertain one. It’s hard to know where to begin in this circumstance and none of us have had to personally use these platforms.

Any support through donations, kind words, or simply sharing this story will make a huge difference as my dad begins to rebuild.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity and reading all the way to this point! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

**Also just wanted to acknowledge the devastating wildfires currently affecting California. My heart goes out to everyone experiencing unimaginable loss and hardship during this time. While my father’s fire occurred in Colorado and was unrelated to these events, I felt it was important to clarify given the current news and social media coverage. We extend our thoughts and prayers to those affected by the fires.