BELLINGHAM - In the aftermath of a fire where they lost everything, the MacGregor family has watched from a distance as, piece by piece, their community has come together to replace the belongings they'll need to get back on their feet again.
First, a stockpile of clothes, toiletries and other necessities.
Then, a huge gift: A fully furnished house, donated by a Bellingham couple.
And soon, their friends hope, they'll return to Bellingham and start to rebuild their lives.
Jennifer and Joseph MacGregor, and their two daughters Summer, 13, and Willow, 10, suffered burns and injuries from smoke inhalation when their rented duplex in the 1200 block of 24th Street caught fire early New Year's Day.
The blaze trapped Jennifer and the two daughters in a bedroom. Joseph managed to escape the home, but then smashed in a window in an effort to save his family. That left him bloodied, burned and in need of serious medical help.
But firefighters said without his determination, and his knowledge about where his wife and daughters would be, the outcome could have been far worse.
All four family members were still hospitalized Friday, Jan. 6, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, a hospital spokeswoman said. Joseph had improved to serious earlier in the week, and he was undergoing surgery Friday afternoon. Jennifer and Willow were still listed in serious condition. Summer had improved to satisfactory condition.
It will be about a month before the whole family comes home to Bellingham, and Joseph will likely be out of work for about a year, said Elisabeth White, a friend of the MacGregors who has visited them since the fire.
That means the family will need to live off the generosity of others for the next six to 12 months.
So far, they're off to a pretty good start: about $3,000 has been donated to a Peoples Bank account in the family's name. The goal is about $50,000.
The largest gift, however, came from an engaged Bellingham couple, Dennis Lunny and Christin Roger, who donated a fully furnished home to the MacGregors, offering to let them stay for as long as they need, according to media reports.
Lunny and Roger could not be reached by the Bellingham Herald for comment Friday or Saturday.
White has been collecting items in her storage unit for when the family returns to Bellingham.
"They're very graciously gracious," she said. "They're overwhelmed with joy at the outpouring of support from this community."
On Friday, the storage unit was filling up with the neatly arranged necessities: bottles of shampoo, a surplus of toothpaste, a toaster oven, three pairs of boots, chocolates, a game of Yahtzee, dolls and a small library of books for the girls.
"It's kind of amazing how quickly it's come together," said Amanda Rietz, who was looking after the storage unit Friday. "It hasn't even been a week, and already it's all of this, and then a house."
Everything's welcome, but mostly White and Rietz were hoping to see more gift cards, dishrags, sponges, cotton sheets - and volunteers to collect the items.
No update on the exact cause of the fire was available by the weekend, but Bellingham Fire Marshal Jason Napier suspects it was sparked by or near a baseboard heater. Napier estimated the home suffered about $89,000 worth of damage.
The family has requested that visitors be limited to very close friends and extended family.
How to help:
- Friends of the MacGregor family have set up a Facebook page with information about how people can help the family after the fire. Search Facebook to find the group "Help Support the MacGregor Family in Bellingham, WA."
The page includes ideas for donations, where items and gift cards be donated and updates on the family members' conditions. The family's clothing and shoe sizes are also listed on the page. A list of those who have helped is also included in the page's "Notes" section.
- Volunteer to collect donations at White's storage unit outside her home, 1029 22nd St. Call 360-305-4419 for more information.
- People can donate money to the MacGregor Family Benefit Account at any Peoples Bank location.
- A local Girl Scouts troop is raising money to buy the family a desktop computer. Email troop41539@gmail.com or visit supportmacgregors.blogspot.com for details.
- The Saltwater Octet and The Thomas Harris Jazz Collective are performing a jazz and swing concert to raise money for the family starting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Blue Horse Gallery, 301 W. Holly St. in Bellingham. Admission is $10.
