'Our Love Just Conquered': Bride Saves Wedding Dress From Burning Home On Christmas Day
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Three weeks ago, a Chicago family lost almost everything in a Christmas Day fire.
With a wedding planned for the next day, a woman ran back into her burning home to save her wedding dress.
Despite the family losing everything, the wedding went on the very next day.
Jackie and Jeremy and their three young kids are getting used to their new normal, a temporary apartment.
Until Christmas night, the family, plus Jeremy's mother and sister lived in an Albany Park home that had been in the family for four generations.
"The family had gathered in my home for the last time because I was getting married the next day," Amanda Warpinski said. "My daughter-in-law was doing my hair and cooking Christmas dinner. We had just sat down to eat and we were smelling smoke."
Family member Jackyn Benyamin said they ran out with no shoes or coat.
"I ran back outside then realized, oh my god, I'm getting married tomorrow my wedding dress is inside," Warpinski said. "So I ran back in to get my wedding dress."
The good news, everyone made it out, but with only the clothes on their back.
Everything else was destroyed.
Amanda's then fiance, rushed to the home and as they watched it burn they made a decision.
They decided they would not postpone the wedding.
With stores closed Christmas night, Jackie, who got her family settled in a hotel, didn't have much time to get them ready.
The wedding dress had some smoke damage and some soot on the bottom of it, but Warpinski still wore it.
"My son, even though he had lost everything, he walked me down the aisle with a smile on his face," she said. "Our love just conquered."
The family is so grateful for the Red Cross, neighbors, friends and family who've stepped in to help.
The family plans to move back into the home once it's rebuilt.
You can still help them, there's a Go Fund Me page set up for donations.