About the GoFundMe
Hi, my name is Krista, I'm Bill's daughter. On June 10th, my dad, Bill, suffered a heartbreaking and catastrophic loss. A property he had poured his heart, soul, and life savings into renovating—a connected house and barn structure—was completely destroyed by a fire.
The fire was intentionally set by a jealous ex-girlfriend, who has since admitted her guilt and been formally charged with arson and elder abuse.
While we are incredibly grateful that my dad was not living in the building at the time and is physically safe, the financial blow is devastating. Bill had invested everything he owned into buying materials, tools, and rebuilding this property. In a matter of hours, all of his hard work was reduced to ashes. The fire also consumed his restored and totally rebuilt antique truck—a project he spent countless hours on and took immense pride in. A family member's antique car, countless tools, and expensive construction materials were all lost. He has truly lost everything he spent a lifetime working toward.
To make this nightmare even worse, Bill is facing a 100% out-of-pocket loss. Due to receiving poor professional advice during the renovation phase, the property was completely uninsured at the time of the fire. He will not receive a single penny from an insurance company to clear the debris or rebuild. Every single dollar he invested is gone, and he has to start back at zero entirely on his own.
A Bit About Dad.
If you know my dad, Bill, you know he is the first person to step up when someone else is in need. Dad and Mom moved to Sturgeon Bay around four and a half years ago. Before moving, they both were both lifelong residents of rural New Jersey living on a small farm and giving us 3 an amazing childhood. There, he spent years dedicated to charity work and helping others, with a special love for animals and the basset hound rescue that he and our late mother shared a deep passion for. He worked as a mechanic his entire life, often fixing friends' cars for free, even after working a 60-hour week, before volunteering at his church every Sunday. Since their move to Wisconsin, they both swiftly got back into the local church community and charity work, making fast friends through rescue dogs, tractors, antique cars, and the church.
Unfortunately, things changed not long after the move. My dad lost his older brother in New Jersey, and not long after, lost our beloved mom suddenly to cancer, all just a few short years ago.
To compound the pain of losing our mom, Dad just weeks after fell off a ladder and broke his back. This meant that while he was trying to grieve and support all his kids and grandkids emotionally and most of us at a distance due to our locations, he was also trying to physically recover from a severe injury that left him unable to walk or care for himself for many months. He has always been deeply grateful for the community that carried him through that difficult time, and he has tried his best to repay them by working at local fundraisers and sharing his skills with anyone who needs help.
My dad has worked tirelessly to keep our family moving forward through the grief of losing our mom, subsequent family losses, and a life-changing injury. To see a man who has given so much to others—and who has already endured such deep personal heartbreak—lose his dream and his life savings to a malicious act is completely shattering.
Setting the Record Straight
There has been some painful misinformation surrounding this event, including initial misreporting that the building was "only a barn." To clarify, it was a full house and an attached barn, and the entire structure was burnt completely to the ground.
We just want our dad to have the peaceful, dignified life he deserves after a lifetime of dedicating his care, love, and time to everyone else. I live over 6,000 miles away with my family and feel utterly helpless, as do my two brothers who live in the United States but not near to his community. The best I can do from afar is start this GoFundMe, kindly asking the amazing people in this world for help in giving Bill a chance to recover.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, shares, and support.
With deep gratitude from all of Bill's Children and Grandchildren who love our Dad tremendously.
We also thank all who helped with the fire and finding the culprit. We are so very grateful to the entire community for their help.
Important Note on Fund Transparency
Because I am managing this campaign from 6,000 miles away, I want to assure every donor that 100% of the funds raised go directly to my dad. Bill is set up as the sole beneficiary of this account. GoFundMe securely transfers every penny directly into his personal bank account. No one else has access to these funds, ensuring your generosity goes straight to helping him rebuild.
Finally, Official Media & News Reports:
First report including video:
Other reports, although there are many more, here is a handful:
https://fox11online.com/news/crime/sturgeon-bay-woman-charged-with-arson-for-allegedly-setting-fire-to-ex-boyfriends-barn-donna-franklin-cash-bond-animals-flames-suspicious-arrested
https://www.facebook.com/wfrvlocal5/photos/in-a-criminal-complaint-filed-on-june-16-it-was-revealed-that-donna-jo-franklin-/1645506130917130/
(Please Note on the news coverage: Initial media reports stated that only a "barn" was lost. To clarify, the structure was a connected house and barn. The fire completely destroyed both sections, resulting in a total loss of his future home.)
BEFORE THE ARSON FIRE:
DURING THE ARSON FIRE
AFTER THE ARSON FIRE
And Dad
