Yesterday, our lives changed in an instant.

What started as a relaxed day smoking our first brisket of the year turned into a nightmare we’re still processing. A fire started near the grill area and quickly overtook our home. By the time it was over, the contents of the two main floors were almost entirely destroyed. The basement survived the flames, but suffered significant water damage. We don’t yet know what, if anything, is salvageable - and we’re definitely still in shock.

The silver lining that we are holding onto tightly is that Janie and I made it out safe. So did our dogs, Louie and Xena. Xena cut up her front paws badly while running scared, and we’re taking her to the vet today; with prompt care, she should be ok.

Right now, we’re staying with an incredibly kind neighbor who opened their door without hesitation. We are grateful beyond words.

This is all very fresh, and we’re still piecing together what comes next. What we do know is that we lost nearly everything - our home, our belongings … we got out with the clothes on our backs plus whatever we could grab in one trip. (I feel especially bad for Janie and all the keepsakes from her late parents that we had displayed throughout our home. We will work hard to salvage anything possible, since those items can’t be replaced.)

If you’re in a position to help, we’ve set up a GoFundMe to help us get back on our feet — temporary housing, entirely new clothes, new everything, vet bills, and whatever the road ahead requires. Every bit genuinely means the world to us. We know times are tight, so if you can’t help monetarily, please help by sharing this with people we both know.

We’ll keep everyone updated as we learn more and navigate this together. Thank you for the love and support - we are eternally grateful.