Jessica Colo, her husband, and their two young children, need everything from clothes to cribs and strollers after a fire destroyed their Perrysburg home last week. (supplied photo)
The scene of the fire on Pine Street. (supplied photo)
By Sydney Leyerle
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
PERRYSBURG — A Perrysburg family is asking the community for help after losing everything in a house fire.
On May 25, Jessica Colo and her family lost their rental home at 946 Pine St. after it caught fire that evening. The fire took emergency personnel almost four hours to put out. The family was not home at the time, but everything inside the house was destroyed or damaged.
Through a GoFundMe started by a friend, Colo said she is hoping to raise enough money to help her family purchase the necessities.
The family of four, which includes Colo, her husband, and their two young children, need everything from clothes to cribs and strollers. Also lost in the fire was a brace worn by Colo’s son. Due to being born with a clubfoot, Colo said her son must wear a brace every night, but they lost the brace in the fire and haven’t been able to purchase a new one yet.
Some items in the garage and outside the house were destroyed or damaged. Colo said they had two cars that were damaged, both of which are new, one with the temporary tags still on it. Her husband’s motorcycles were also destroyed in the fire.
“We’re not by any means trying to buy new motorcycles or anything like that, it (donations) would be for like diapers, clothes, new beds for my kids,” Colo said.
The family is living with Colo’s mother as they search for a new rental home.
In December, the family moved to Perrysburg from Indiana to be closer to family. Colo said they were living in the rental home until they could find a house of their own. Now they will stop their search for a house until they find a new rental home and have their lives back to normal.
Due to their recent move, Colo said most everything in the house had been purchased brand new. However, she said they likely won’t get much from insurance for the damages.
The family’s GoFundMe page can be found at https://gofund.me/c5b50dc7. Donations can also be taken to Hazelton and Company at 131 W. Indiana Ave. in Perrysburg. As of Thursday night, $7,360 has been raised, with a $35,000 goal.
Some have already donated clothes and toys for the kids, which Colo said she is incredibly thankful for.
“I do appreciate everybody’s support and kindness, because a lot of people have been very kind to me and us and my kids and everything,” she said. “So I really appreciate it, brought them (the kids) toys and things like that.”
The cause of the fire is still unknown but is under investigation.
