EAST GREENBUSH, NY - On Tuesday night, NEWS10 ABC reported on a fire in East Greenbush which left a mother, father and their two young children with nothing but the clothes on their back. The family will be forced to spend the holidays in a hotel room.
The Clinton Heights Fire Department wants to make sure the kids still have the Christmas they deserve. Within hours of putting out the flames, the Clinton Heights Fire Department decided to hold a fundraiser for the family.
The fire department said they deal with a lot of fires, but this one is really touching the community, considering the young children involved and it being so close to Christmas.
The family has said their 4-year-old daughter Madison's room was hit the worst and needs the most help. "It's a blessing that Madison was downstairs with me at the time, and not in her room sleeping, which is what she would normally be doing at that time," Madison's mother, Sarah, said.
Sarah said one of the toughest things was explaining to her daughter that all her favorite things, including a Care Bear stuffed animal, were gone.
"My bed melted," Madison tells NEWS10. "And my toys melted too."
Kim Dingley, is one member of the community that contacted NEWS10 ABC looking to help. She graciously donated to the family after seeing their story on NEWS10 ABC.
Dingley brought Madison a new Care Bear. "What better way to make someone else's Christmas special," she said.
Madison, along with her 7-year-old brother, mom, and dad will be spending their holidays in a hotel room, but thanks to total strangers everything is going to be okay. "It is making it easier to deal with, and making me feel better about what's going on," Sarah said. "If I didn't have the community I think it would be really hard."
The family might not be able to return home for another few months.
If you have anything that a 4-year-old or 7-year-old could use, especially winter clothes, or toys, please call the Clinton Heights Fire Department at (518) 462-2922.
Their East Greenbush home was destroyed during a fire on Monday
Sarah brushes 4-year-old Madison's hair in the hotel where they will be staying for a few months
Madison holds her new Care Bear, as her old one was destroyed in the fire.
A member of the community, Kim Dingley, gives Madison's 7-year-old brother a pinball machine.
NEWS10 ABC
