Jeannette community rallies around mom who lost husband and 4 children in fire
JEANNETTE, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Jeannette mother who survived a house fire that killed her husband and four of her children this week is now out of the hospital.
Two other children survived and remain in the hospital. Now, the community is coming together for a memorial service, fish fry and donation drives.
"This is all about them and their comfort in their time of need," said Jennifer Deemer.
When Deemer heard about the devastating fire that killed Tyler King and his four young children, she knew she wanted to help the surviving family members, mother Miranda John and her two children who escaped the flames and are recovering in the hospital.
"She lost her husband and four children. And she needs this, this is how we can help her," Deemer said.
Deemer said she first set up a GoFundMe, which is now over $70,000 and then started planning a public vigil. Within hours, she says, it grew into a huge event because everyone in the community wanted to help.
"As soon as I posted about it, people started rolling in," she said.
"We hold each other up. We don't back down in crisis," she added.
At a fish fry at St. Bruno Catholic Church of South Greensburg on Friday, money was raised for the family.
"We have had people just stopping in and putting checks into our collect jar," organizer Amy Fiaschetti said. "A lot of people are thanking us for doing this. Here at St. Bruno, even though we are one community over, it's very important for us to help them."
An event is being held for the family at the American Legion in Jeanette on Monday. The evening will start with a memorial service at 6 followed by performances from several local bands. There will be food trucks, other vendors and raffles. There is no entry fee and donations will be accepted at the door.
"All of the proceeds are going directly to the family," Deemer said.
"We want her to be financially set for a very long time," she added.
Deemer has been in touch with the family, who say they're amazed by the outpouring of community support and truly grateful.
"I've been in touch with them to let them know what's going on and they are over the moon, over the moon about the community coming together the way they are, they can't believe it," Deemer said.
The Jeannette Midget Athletic Association also hosted a donations drive on Friday.
"When something happens, what we preach here is, our motto down here, is we not me," said Dan Cooper, president of the Jeannette Midget Athletic Association. "Anything that they needed, whatever they needed, we wanted to make sure we got it for them."
The family tells KDKA-TV that Miranda is now out of the hospital and her two sons are at Children's Hospital. Kayden and Kash are said to be improving every day and should be off the ventilators soon.
