West Island community rallies after fire destroys family home
A Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue woman says she's grateful for an outpouring of support from her community, after her home was destroyed Monday in a fire.
Natalee Crowley had just left for Toronto, when she received urgent messages from friends and neighbours telling her that her house was up in flames.
"It's surreal — the last words you expect to hear when someone says, 'Call me, it's urgent,'" said Crowley, a single mother of three.
The fire was likely started by fireplace ashes in the trash outside the garage and quickly spread to the roof, gutting most of the top floor and damaging the rest of the house.
It's not clear how much of the damage will be covered by insurance. Most of the family's clothing, furniture and other belongings were destroyed.
But friends and neighbours have rallied to replace them. A friend launched an online fundraising page, which raised just over $3,000 in three days.
"I have been overwhelmed with calls, emails, Facebook posts," said Crowley.
One neighbour has opened her home to Crowley, so she has a place to stay while she looks for a new house. Her three children are staying with their father.
Another neighbour, Marie-Claude Charpentier, put out a call on Facebook and has been receiving donations of toys and books at her home.
"People are opening their hearts and their minds, and it's nice to see," said Charpentier. "That's why we live in a community like this."
CrossFit community steps up
Crowley, a CrossFit kids instructor, has gotten a big hand from the members of her gym.
Jeannie Harbour Lambrinos, owner of CrossFit de la Cité in Vaudreuil-Dorion, said she's filling a spare room at the gym with the boxes and bags of donations coming in from members and others in the community.
She's dubbed the room "Natalee's House."
"In that room you can find sets of dishes, toilet paper, toothbrushes...to a new magic bullet that's never been used," said Harbour Lambrinos.
She said one little girl even donated a nearly brand new gaming console to Crowley's children.
"We have a whole team on standby ready just for me to say 'OK, we need to fill up the pantry with pepper, salt, ketchup — whatever she needs,'" said Harbour Lambrinos.
Crowley isn't sure why so many people, including complete strangers, have reached out to help her.
"Maybe the time of year. It's right before Christmas. Help comes from places you least expect it, and it's truly a time in someone's life when they need it the most...People who you may not talk to, or haven't spoken to in ages, or don't even know you," she said.
"I don't know if they understand exactly how valuable it is and how much it's appreciated, but it goes a very long way to getting through every single day. Thank you," she said. "Just thank you."
