Help Roshelle After She Lost Everything in a Gas Explosion

My name is Tracy, and I work with Roshelle at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Roshelle is a much-beloved Teaching Professor in UWGB's Applied Writing & English department.

On Saturday, March 1, Roshelle was in her bedroom grading papers when a gas explosion suddenly rocketed through the duplex apartment she rented, sending her out an open window and onto a lower part of the roof.

The explosion took out much of the back wall of her side of the duplex, blew parts of the roof off, and ripped trees near the house out of the ground. She hasn't been allowed to return to see if anything survived because it's unsafe to enter.

Fortunately, she escaped with only minor physical injuries, as did her cat Linus. Her other cat Annie remains on the loose at the moment, but she has been caught on cameras by Roshelle's pet-rescue friends, who are working to trap her. We are hopeful that Annie will stop being ridiculous and return soon.

Roshelle not only lost her home but just about everything in it, according to those who were inside after the explosion. The losses likely include priceless mementos from her late grandparents, her late father and sister, and her late fiance, as well as her laptop, which has numerous sole-copy files of her beautiful poetry. While she's bearing everything remarkably well, these losses have been devastating, on top of the trauma of surviving an explosion and becoming suddenly homeless. (She is currently staying with a friend, so she is safe.)

If you're able to help, even a small donation is welcome. Whether or not you are in a position to donate here, she would very much appreciate your prayers, including for the return of Annie, whose recovery would be a huge comfort to her.