Mahtomedi Family Overwhelmed By Support After Pets Die In Fire
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A family of three narrowly escaped a house fire earlier this week in Mahtomedi.
The Bonifas family woke up to see flames outside their home early Monday morning. They lost five pets in the fire that engulfed their house in minutes.
Five-year-old Nora Bonifas and her best friend Fiona love to spend time together. That's happening more often now that Nora and her parents, Lisa and Megan, are living with her family.
"[The home is] just a constant reminder of loss when I see it," Lisa Bonifas said.
The Bonifas dreamt Nora would grow up in their Mahtomedi home. Those plans changed early Monday morning when Megan woke up, at first thinking she was hearing hail.
"I knew it was fire so I just yelled for her to get out," Megan Bonifas said.
Lisa Bonifas says she sprinted to Nora's room and grabbed her before fleeing the burning home.
Megan went back for dogs Blanche and Gert, plus cats Malcom and Tank, as well as two of her parents' dogs.
"She said that our dogs are gone, they couldn't get out because when the alarms went off they got scared and ran up to our room which is the worst part of the house," Lisa Bonifas said.
Firefighters were able to rescue Tank. While grieving, the family remains thankful.
"That's all that matters, that we made it out," Megan Bonifas said.
Lisa Bonifas replied, telling Megan, "You're my hero."
An overwhelming outpouring of support came soon after.
"One of our neighbors said, 'We gotcha.' And they have. We have not had to worry about a thing," Lisa Bonifas said.
Megan says the family had quickly received six backpacks, and her neighbor gave her their own shoes.
A GoFundMe account was set up to raise $1,000, but brought in more than $19,000 in hours -- and the number keeps growing.
"It's amazing. I'm forever grateful," Megan Bonifas said.
Lisa Bonifas says they will pay the incredible kindness forward.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials believe it started near the back deck.
The Bonifas family had insurance, and they plan to rebuild in the neighborhood.