Help Taylor, Luna & Kali after devastating fire.

On Thursday, December 1st Taylor experienced the trauma of a devastating fire to her home. That morning she was awoken to flames engulfing her third-floor apartment, where she quickly worked to evacuate her cat Luna and her dog Kali. At that moment, she was unsuccessful; the smoke and quickly expanding flames drove her outside to safety.

Lincoln Fire Rescue quickly arrived at the scene where the fire had extended into the attic space but worked quickly to extinguish the fire, rescuing Kali and Luna. Taylor was taken to the hospital and admitted to the burn unit. She was intubated, sedated, and treated for extensive burns across her face and hands and severe smoke inhalation. Ultimately, Taylor survived this ordeal and has begun the equally traumatic process of recovery, picking up the pieces of her life and home and the many exhaustive details that surround that.

*Warning* The following photos are graphic.

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The reason for this GoFundMe: These last couple of years have been very hard for Taylor. While we all experienced unique struggles due to the pandemic, Taylor lost her mother to cancer in March 2020 at the pandemic’s inception. She has been navigating the ups and downs of healing and recently hit a positive stride by focusing her efforts on working full-time and engaging her education at SCC to set her future up for success. The unfathomable devastation and circumstances a fire can have on a single-income family brings everything to a screeching halt.

Taylor and her fur babies are survivors, but in that same breath, she will need substantial financial assistance to get herself back on her feet and could use your support during the Holidays. More now than ever. The funds raised for Taylor will go exclusively towards rehabilitating her livelihood and that of her pets. From significant accounts like medical bills, Veterinarian bills, and property damage remediation to providing wiggle room replacing medication, toiletries, and supplies for her pets. An estimated amount was discussed and decided that $10,000 would provide a safe bridge for her to close that gap between the present moment and a return to normalcy.

If you can help us help Taylor, we would appreciate it forever!! If you are unable to donate financially, please keep her, Kali and Luna in your thoughts and prayers, and please consider sharing. We love you all so much and thank you for helping Taylor survive the Holidays more than she has ever needed to!

It should be noted that the residents of Taylor's apartment building are also displaced due to smoke damage throughout the building; it will take time before they can return to their homes. As such, we will keep you updated if there are additional community fundraisers or GoFundMe to aid in the success of the Ruskin community’s rehabilitation.

Special Thanks: Sincere gratitude is being sent to Celena Malmkar, Rudy and Gina Nieman, who have been working tirelessly to ensure Taylor's immediate transition from hospital to home has gone smoothly and the beginning stages of post-fire recovery. Important and much-needed thanks to Lincoln Fire and Rescue Crews and St. Elizabeth Hospital for saving Taylor and her pets and ensuring the safety of the Ruskin Place apartment residents. Thank you so very much, Tori Moore, a neighbor of Taylor who came to her aid during the fire before the ambulance arrived.

Lastly, a special thanks to Jason and the Iasan and Sebastian Studio Salon gals. They banded together within the week after the fire to collect donations and gift hair products and a complimentary but much-needed haircut to Taylor. The collective impact of a local business goes so far in the wake of tragedy.

Credit & Media Coverage of Fire:

GoFundMe cover photo and professional photo credit: Justin Wan, Journal Star

Lincoln Journal Star Article

1011 News Coverage

Additional Photos: