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A community has rallied in support of a Cape Breton family grieving the loss of their home and four pets in a fire late last month.
Christina Johnston, her husband and six children lived in the farmhouse in Middle River, N.S., for over 10 years. On the night of Jan. 29, she and her daughter Grace came home to discover the fire.
“It just felt eerie,” Johnston said in an interview with CBC’s Information Morning Cape Breton. “It wasn’t until I opened the door that the black smoke came pouring out.”
One of her dogs came out when she opened the door. She put him in the back of her truck and told her daughter to call 911.
The Johnstons’ new puppy and kitten died in the fire. (Christina Johnston)
Remaining in the house were two adult dogs, a puppy and a kitten.
“I just kept trying to get into the house to get the rest of the animals, but I just couldn’t get in,” Johnston said.
All four died in the fire. Johnston said her family is devastated by the loss of the pets and the home.
The Johnstons’ two adult huskies died in the house fire. (Christina Johnston)
“It’s completely gone,” Johnston said. “There’s literally just a hole left.”
But she said she felt the support from her community right away. As she watched the house burn, she was receiving phone calls from people offering a place to stay.
The Johnston family farmhouse before it burned down. (Christina Johnston)
Kyle Mulley, who coaches her son Johnny’s hockey team, started an online fundraiser for the family, which he said is involved in the community through hockey and their church.
The fundraiser has collected over $32,000 in nine days.
“[It has] really nothing to do with me at all,” said Mulley, who has known the family only since October. “It’s all about the Johnstons. And I think what they do for their community is really why the return came back so successful.”
Mulley said the funds will help cover temporary housing, clothing and everyday essentials.
“To really start from scratch is a tough, tough thing to go through,” he said. “The community really rallied behind us.”
“I’m blown away by how compassionate people have been,” Johnston said.
While the family figures out the next steps with their insurance company, they are staying in a nearby cottage.
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