MILWAUKIE, Ore. (KOIN) — A fire that ripped through the first floor and attic of a house in Milwaukie Thursday left a single mother of 3 without anything — except the love and support of friends, family and the community.
Sami Smith was at her home on SE Clackamas Road when the fire began. She managed to get out safely, as did their pet cat and a lizard. But the family dog died in the blaze.
She also lost all her furniture, the household items, all the family’s clothes — and their house.
But a friend created a GoFundMe page that has generated donations, and the kids’ school, Bilquist Elementary, said they’re overwhelmed with donations.
Smith, though, seemed more worried at first about the charity she has, Warm Fingers Warm Toes.
“She collects hats and socks and warm things for the homeless, and she’s worried about that because it was all ready to donate upstairs” but was lost in the fire, said her friend Chivara Fisher.
“She’s one of my favorite people. She’s a sweetheart, she’s honest and she’s strong and she’s a single mom,” Fisher said. “She has just been going up in the world and she works for everything she has.”
Even when she’s down, Fisher said, Smith is thinking about others — her kids, or the homeless who need gloves and hats.
Her oldest child, James Taylor, is a 6th-grader at Alder Creek Middle School. Two of her kids, kindergartner Olivia and 2nd-grader Kayla, attend Bilquist Elementary.
Bilquist Principal Charles Foote told KOIN 6 News they immediately started rallying resources for the family.
“You are a little shocked that something like that could really happen with a family that you know, with children that you work with everyday,” Foote said.
Donations came in quickly from all across the district.
“We have donations from Happy Valley, from businesses, from individual families, the Putnam High School band concert collected funds last night for the family,” he said. “All morning long families streaming in with their bags of donations of clothes, Christmas materials, home materials, immediate essentials for a family.”
“The way this community has rallied around the family has been very impressive and it just continues,” Principal Foote said.
The family is currently staying at a hotel but even though it’s a rough time, Fisher believes the family — and the kids — will find the positive in all of this.
“It will be associated with a time where it was hard, but, look, we got through and will grow to be better people for it,” Fisher said. “They’re going to grow up and be able to pay it forward to their communities when they’re adults.”
Fisher added this will show the children that “people care, which is huge.”
The Red Cross also stepped in to help, and the Clackamas Fire Department helped the family get through the holidays with their Emergency Service Foundation Fund.
Investigators said the fire began in the kitchen and was cooking-related. Officials said the house is likely a total loss.