A West Mansfield area family is working through a whirlwind of emotions after they lost their home, possessions and even Christmas presents in a fire Thursday, and then the following day, were overcome with gratitude for generous friends, neighbors and strangers who joined together to meet a fundraising goal of $20,000 to provide them with support them through this crisis.
Sebrina McCarthy said she started a GoFundMe page to assist her family, which includes daughter River, age 4 months, twin sons Christian and Michael, 11, and the children’s father, Robert McCarthy.
The family lived at 1172 County Road 12, and at the time of the 11 a.m. fire, each of the family members was away from home, either at work, school or childcare, McCarthy said. The rental farmhouse is owned by Jerry Regula, according to Logan County Auditor’s Office records.
Perry Township Fire Department, along with Bokescreek, Allen Township and Raymond fire departments responded to the scene. No injuries were reported, but McCarthy said the family lost a dog and a cat in the fire.
The West Mansfield resident said she received a phone call alerting her to the blaze, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
“As some know, today about 11:00, we received a call telling us our home was completely engulfed…We watched everything we worked so hard for go down in flames,” she said on the GoFundMe page at https://gf.me/v/c/lxg/58a25-lost-everything-in-a-fire.
“We lost everything all Christmas gifts all our clothes, we still have each other, thank the Good Lord above, but we have nothing, no clothes, only what’s on our backs.”
By late Friday afternoon about 24 hours after starting the page, the fundraising goal of $20,000 had been met, but contributions can still be made, McCarthy related.
In addition, local friends are organizing clothing donations for the family that can be dropped off at Fat Boys Pizza, 2527 U.S. Route 68, Bellefontaine, during normal business hours.
Clothing sizes are as follows: 4 month old girl, sizes 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers; 11 year old boy, men’s large shirts 34×34 pants; 11 year old boy, 14/16; 45 year old male, XL shirts, 32×36 pants; and 35 year old female, XL-XXL shirts, 22/24 pants.
Shoe sizes are men’s 9.5, 6/7, 11 and 9.5.
Organizers also said donations of Similac Pro Advanced formula are being accepted for the infant.