On Wednesday, November 5th, 2025, a bus driver drove past my brother's empty house and saw smoke, immediately stopping and calling it in. She couldn't see any flames because they were just starting under the back of the trailer... but they were there. My step father (who lives next door) soon after walked his dogs and saw flames starting in the back of the house, and immediately responded hoping to put the flames out. He could not.

The fire chief ruled it faulty wiring. It started under the trailer, not inside it. My brother had thankfully been at work for a short while that day, and my niece was safely at college many hours away. Their hearts are broken over the tragic loss of their cat that day.

This fire was a total loss. It consumed the entire trailer, even with the diligent effort of the brave firemen who worked their tails off to pour tanker after tanker into the home. The fire traveled fast through both the walls and the roof. There was one large open floor plan for the kitchen, living and dining rooms, so there was nothing stopping the rage. The fire even restarted (as the fire department warned him it likely would) the very next day, and they had to return with more trucks.

All their memories, all their belongings, gone in an instant. My niece has what little she takes up to college. She's diligent in being understanding of the small space she has at college, so she packs seasonally. She's lost everything but some fall clothes she had with her.

My brother had only the clothes he wore to work that day, and the few belongings he had in his car.

The Red Cross has been a blessing, as has family and friends already willing to lend a helping hand as well as be a financial blessing. I'm starting a Go Fund Me because they lost absolutely everything, and I have had people reach out looking for something like this to be able to contribute to.

This will go towards rebuilding their lives, especially going into the cold season where cold weather gear is greatly needed. I'd love to see enough to be able to help him be prepared for New York weather, which could be anything from too hot to too cold in a single day. Prepared with work clothes, with rain gear, with the simple things many of us take for granted as being there because we just naturally have it daily.

We appreciate the out pouring of family and friends' generosity in helping us give back to a family who drops everything to help anyone in need themselves.