Support River: Fire Took Everything

Help My Brother Rebuild After Losing Everything in a House Fire

This Easter, our family stood together in shock and heartbreak, combing through the ashes of what was once our mother’s home—now reduced to rubble.

My brother, River, inherited our late mother’s house after her passing. It’s where she lived her final years and where she’s now laid to rest, buried on the property. River took on the role of caretaker, pouring his time, energy, and love into the land and home. He had recently begun building an addition with a batch of quality lumber—wood that he stored with care in a shed on the property.

While River was away from home, a fire started in that lumber shed. There was no electricity there, and the cause is now believed to be foul play. The case is under investigation.

River didn’t have homeowners insurance. The home was a total loss.

He lost everything—his bed, clothes, dishes, tools, and all the belongings that made the house a home. His youngest brother and nephew-in-law risked entering the collapsed structure after the roof caved in, hoping to salvage something—anything. Only a handful of items could be pulled from the wreckage: a childhood “Papa Bear” chair built by our father, a handmade table River built for my burthday this month, three scorched guitars… and a single photo of our mother, pulled from the burnt nightstand in his bedroom.

That’s all that survived.

I’ve promised to get clothes back on his back—but what River needs most right now is shelter. A roof over his head. A place to begin again.

We’re doing everything we can as a family, but rebuilding from the ground up is more than we can handle alone. If you’re able to donate, share, or offer support in any way, it would mean the world to us. Every little bit helps lighten the weight of starting over after total loss.

Thank you for helping us give River a path forward.

—Furrow