CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) —Two weeks ago, a Chesapeake couple lost their home and beloved dog in a fire, and since then, the community has rallied around them.
Shelby Hall and Jai Johnson are still trying to figure out the total loss, but it’s safe to say that, except for the brick, it’s mostly all a loss.
“Yea, I think we were probably at our lowest place that day two weeks ago,” Hall told 10 On Your Side out in front of their home on Hazel Avenue.
On the morning of Dec. 20, Hall and Johnson’s home looked pristine and decorated for Christmas, but by the afternoon, there wasn’t much left. The fire destroyed the inside, and it took the life of Winston, the family dog.
“He was so much more than a pet,” Hall said. “He was our family member. He was like our little fur child. I think anyone who owns a dog understands. It is a lot deeper than that. … He can never be replaced, but there is just something special about having a dog in your house … coming home and having someone so excited to see you.”
Two weeks later, the couple are still trying to figure it out.
“Insurance has been responding, but we are still sitting in a waiting period, especially with the holidays,” Hall said. “They are taking pictures, but we are just waiting to hear, I guess, what they want to do.”
The fire was hot, intense and damaged the home next door.
“The heat kind of melted his siding, and we have been trying to work with the insurance to see if they want to cover that, and it has just been a process,” Johnson said.
Here is the good news. The family set up a GoFundMe page. When we reported the story, there was about $15,000. After 10 On Your Side’s report aired, it eventually got to near $30,000,
“The donations on the GoFundMe just started going crazy,” he said. “I mean, people saw the story that you guys made for us, and they wanted to see what they could do to help us. And that is exactly what happened. I mean, every two, three minutes, we would get a new donation, even big donations from anonymous people that felt like they really wanted to help us.”
Johnson wants to thank his employer, the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office.
“They are more than a family over there,” Johnson said. “I mean, that is something that I do not think you will see anywhere else, the way that they helped me through this hard time.”
Hall’s employer, Sentara Healthcare, has also been helpful.
“They basically told me, come back when you need to,” Hall said. “They collected items for both of us. So many people have reached out, and I really appreciate that. “
They want to say this to the hundreds of supporters in the community.
“After you guys came out, the overwhelming support from the community, you just all banded together and just helped us through this hard time,” Johnson said.
On Monday, there’s a fundraiser for Shelby and Jai at Bubba’s 33, with 10% of all proceeds going to help out the family. Take a picture of this flyer and show it when you get to Bubba’s 33.
