Crystal Family Recovering from Devastating Fire
Peter and Sarah Gellerman lived in their Crystal home for more than 30 years before a fire ripped through it in mid-October. A neighbor is helping get the family back on their feet.
Fire Destroys Crystal Home
On October 16, a fire raged through the home of Sarah and Peter Gellerman. The couple had lived in home near Forest Elementary for more than thirty years.
West Metro Fire Officials say the fire was caused by a grease fire. The couple’s daughter, Laura Dodson, says her father tried to extinguish the fire by suffocating it.
Neighbors gathered to watch the fire burn.
“It made me want to cry,” said Jenna Lacny, who lives nearby. “They don’t have a home to go to anymore.”
But then, Jenna took action. She used the social media app Nextdoor to round up her neighbors. Strangers donated gift cards, clothing, and more.
Jenna and the couple’s daughter Laura connected. Talking about the fire and her parents’ need is still tough for Laura.
“So, I met up with Jenna, and she just handed me $50, out of nowhere,” said Laura. “I was just talking about trying to fill my parent’s refrigerator because they had nothing.”
The tragedy sparked a friendship between Laura and Jenna. So, while the family is working to rebuild the life they once had. They won’t have to go through the agonizing process alone.
“We friends forever now, you can’t get rid of me,” said Laura.
A GoFundMe has been set up, and there’s a fundraiser in the works for December 14th.
To contact Jenna, she says people can email her at JenLacny24@gmail.com.
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