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Rebuilding a life Community members and businesses pooling resources for a family that lost their home to a fire last week
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, September 12, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The scene on Demelt Crescent last Thursday night was like something out of a nightmare.
Yellowknifers are coming together to raise funds and donate goods to the Pye family. The family lost their home, and their family dog, to a fire on Demelt Crescent last week. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo
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Jamie and Melissa Pye watched helplessly from the street as the home they built with their young sons Nathan and Kaden was destroyed by flames on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. The blaze robbed them of all their possessions and took the life of their dog, Porcha.
The cause of the fire, and estimated cost of the damages, has not yet been determined by the fire marshal.
In light of the family's disaster, the city of Yellowknife, including friends, family and local businesses, have joined forces to help them rebuild their lives.
Jennifer Pagonis, who grew up with Melissa in Yellowknife, visited the remains of the home after the fire had been extinguished by the Yellowknife Fire Division.
"It was a disaster, and I couldn't imagine that happening to my family," she said. "I woke up at 4 a.m. (the next morning) and it was still plain in my head."
Unable to sleep, Pagonis began a group on Facebook called 'Melissa, Jamie and Family Rebuild Fund.' When she woke up later that morning 70 people had joined the group and were pooling resources, and by early that afternoon, there were 200 people.
Early this week, more than 400 people had joined the group and were offering donations of clothing, food, gift certificates, furniture and even hockey equipment for the boys.
City businesses people have also come forward, such as Chris Brown from Polar Tech/Trails End Harley Davidson, who posted that his company would outfit the entire family for winter.
"Nobody deserves to be cold in the winter," Brown told Yellowknifer on Wednesday.
Ed Butt, from Coyotes Bar and Grill, also posted on the group and offered the family 100 per cent off buffet meals and 50 per cent off regular meals. Dave Brosha, who photographed the couples' wedding, held a contest with one of this favourite prints and raised almost $8,000 via PayPal donations from across the globe.
Butt was unavailable for comment and Brosha declined.
A bank account has been set up at the Royal Bank of Canada for people to submit donations.
"It's typical Yellowknife style – full blown," said Pagonis. "Everything and anything these people need they will get 10-fold of and the stuff they're not going to use will go to someone else who needs it anyway."
Pagonis said it goes further than Yellowknife simply being a tight-knit town.
"It's more you deal with them and see them on a daily basis," she said. "These people would help me, so it's the least I can do in my position to help them."
The family was not ready to talk about the ordeal, but Jodi Smith, the older sister of Jamie Pye, posted on the Facebook group thanking the community.
"I would like to thank everyone for their love and support to help my brother Jamie and family through this tragic time," Smith wrote. "I have seen over the last few days how a community comes together in a time of need."
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