Hello. My name is Emily and I'm asking for prayers and support for my grandfather, Mike Rutowski. This morning, on January 6th, 2026, we got a call that his house was in flames. Thankfully, he was not home as he had just left for work an hour before, but his three fur babies - Bobbie, Baby, and Bubba - who were in the house did not make it. This has broken him more than any material item that has been lost. The kitties were his world, especially after the loss of his wife, my grandmother, Rachell, in September 2024.

They believe that the fire started from a faulty heat pump that had been changed a year and a half ago. The main bulk of the structural damage is in the living room and the kitchen, with almost everything destroyed. The main surviving items from the main rooms are my grandparents' Bibles and old family photos. Everything in the house has severe smoke damage, including a majority of clothing items and my grandmother's crochet blankets. His medication for his degenerative disc disease has been scorched as well. The only salvageable items have been some clothes and specially tucked away sentimental items.

Any funds donated are going to replacing his daily essentials including clothes, groceries, housing, and preparing to find a new permanent home. He has no smoke-free day clothes or sleep clothes. The freezer had been melted into, and all canned food and shelf-stable items were burned. He is currently staying with family but needs a more permanent home.

Me, my family, and especially my grandpa would greatly appreciate any amount of support and prayers. If you can't contribute monetarily, please share with friends and family in hopes of spreading his story. Thank you for keeping my grandpa and his heavenly fur babies in your prayers.