A GoFundMe has been started for Prince Albert friends who lost all of their worldly goods in a fire to his home Eastview Trailer Court on Wednesday afternoon.
John Aubichon and Chantalle Doray lost everything in the fire. Daughter Christine Maser has set up a GoFundMe to help them both out.
Maser said on the GoFundMe page that there was nothing left of the house, however everyone was safe, including the dog Niko.
Aubichon’s sister Veronica Black, who lives in British Columbia, said that the couple is currently getting assistance from the Red Cross and are in a hotel for three days.
“They are just in shock right now—total shock,” Black said. “Everything is gone.”
Black added that while there are family members in Saskatchewan, none of them are near Prince Albert. Aubichon works in the area, she explained, which makes it difficult to leave.
“They are just thanking God that nobody got hurt and that they got the little dog out,” she said. “That little dog is like their life.”
Maser explained in the Gofundme that everything the pair owned, including the mobile home, was lost.
“I’m hoping to help collect enough to help them put towards another home, fire and debris clean up, and help him pay for a place to stay in the interim,” she wrote.
Black said Aubichon and Doray face a tough road ahead with lots of expenses. All they have are the close on their backs, since there was no insurance on the trailer.
Aubichon has knee problems and will be having a knee replacement and Doray is having surgery next week on Dec. 17, which also happens to be Aubichon’s birthday.
“He works but he can’t be doing the cleanup,” Black said. “He would never be able to do that. He is going to be 60 next week and his partner is supposed to have back surgery on his birthday to get something fused in her back and now where is she supposed to recover from surgery?”
The list of items lost in the fire includes Christmas presents, and personal items like baby pictures.
“Think of all the stuff we have, like simple things,” Black said. “I could change my clothes right now and they are going to have to go out (and) go shopping to change their clothes. They have been calling all over trying to get help and trying to figure out what they can do.
“The GoFundMe is to try to help him pay for hotels and food and clothes (and) find a place, in the interim,” Black added. “They have got to do something so that she is going to be okay (and) can have her surgery.”
Aubichon is known for being a writer and a drummer. Black said years worth of writing he kept in his home is now gone.
The pair also had their cars parked close to the trailer. Black said she didn’t know the condition of the vehicles.
“There was a bulldozer happening last night. They were bulldozing so fast before they could see in the light if there is anything that they could salvage—anything—so they don’t even know. It’s just a horrible, horrible situation (and) horrible timing like with Christmas.”
The location of the trailer caused additional problems since there is no connection to municipal water lines.
“He thinks they could have put it out and he could have salvaged a lot more stuff and now it’s all gone,” Black said. “We don’t know what happened, if it was water to the trucks or who knows. I don’t know, I have no idea, it’s just weird.”
Black said the fire could not have happened to better people and Maser expressed similar sentiments in her pitch.
“My Dad is an amazing man, writer and drummer,” she wrote. “He loves helping people out. In the winter he loves to drive around in Prince Albert in his truck and pull people out of ditches and Niko is a lovable pooch who loves to go to the office to work and cruising on dads motor bike.
“Anything anyone is able to pitch in would be an truly amazing and especially cause Christmas is just around the corner. I know how tight things can be but any help at all would be truly appreciated.”
Black explained that the family is trying to find resources to assist but all they could find was the Red Cross.
“I would like to know why the (fire) didn’t go out, but it’s all gone now anyways,” Black said. “Nothing we can do about that and getting that answer is not going to help anything come back. My other brother is doing some food sales in his town.”
Finding a place to stay with their dog Niko could be an issue. Black said not every location will take dogs, which is causing further distress. issue.
“They can’t just go and stay with somebody,” Black said. “I know that he doesn’t know that many people in PA.”
As of Wednesday evening the GoFundMe had raised over $700.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
