Lester & Jen Need Your Help To Rebuild Their Home

PHOTOS BELOW
On Wednesday 5th Jan 2022 at 3am, Lester & Jen lost their home, all of their worldly possessions and memories, their beloved cat Tootie and their fish, and were it not for the quick action of their son Drew, they could have lost much more.

 

They were fast asleep when they were awoken by Drew, screaming that their house was on fire and they needed to get themselves and Drew's three children (aged 5, 9, & 10) out immediately.

 

Within minutes the entire house was engulfed in flames. Because of the amazing work done by the Baxter & Frankston Fire Brigades, the fire did not spread to any neighbours properties or to the cars and caravan.

 

Lester & Jen are active members of the tight-knit Baxter community, having built relationships with the locals in both Imre Court and throughout the community - it is devastating that something so tragic could happen to such a kind and humble family.

 

Lester & Jen adore their community and couldn't imagine living anywhere else, so naturally they plan to rebuild on the same land, and together their son's Drew, Chris and Hayden are asking for your financial help to aid them in their rebuild. Though they are insured, the insurance can only go so far in tackling the mountain of expenses that come with demolishing the remains of the old building, building an entirely new home, and filling it with new possessions and memories. The goal is aspirational, and we ask you to please only give what you can. Lester & Jen do not often accept charity, but would be incredibly grateful for whatever you can contribute. Thank you.

PHOTOS AT BOTTOM

Below is Drew's account of the ordeal from his perspective:

"A friendly visit to mum's house with my 3 kidlets 10, 9 & 5 turned into a night we wouldn't wish on anyone.

 

I was woken up at 2.55am to a fire alarm, went to inspect, and was confronted with a flickering light from the lounge, followed by a window smashing and the roar of a fire taking hold of half the deck and the verandah.

 

The next 1 second felt like it was in slow motion; so much went through my head, can I fight the fire? Do I get the kids first? Do I get my parents up?

 

I smashed open Mum and my stepfather, Lester's Door and yelled like crazy "There is a fire get out of the house, the house is on fire!" (I decided to wake the adults incase I needed help with getting the kids out).

 

I ran to the room where our two older kids were sleeping in bunks with their heads probably only 3m from the fire.

 

I grabbed them, threw them to Lester and said get them the out. I rushed to the far room where I was previously sleeping with my little 5 year boy to retrieve him and got him safely to the front yard.

 

Then perhaps stupidly, I knew I needed my tickets to be allowed to work and ran back inside for my work bag.

 

Lester ran in after me, but by this stage the fire was inside. It was getting hot, harder to see and lots of smoke and so much noise.

 

We got out to the front yard and embers were on the front lawn where our cars were parked.

 

We thought we might lose the cars as well and we tried to get back to get the keys as it was only two steps in the front door, I couldn't reach as the heat was way too hot I tried to use an umbrella to drag the keys from a distance, but I went to take a breath and there was no air so Lester and I got out.

 

I rang 000 and as we got the kids over the road, Lester was running around with a hose doing what he could, and I joined him with the neighbours hose.

 

The 4 min it took to watch the house burn down along with two decades of my Mum's memories whilst waiting for the fire brigade.. felt like forever.

 

Oh yeah, if we go back to when I was processing what to do for the 1 second, getting dressed was not something I considered - luckily I had some jocks on.

 

So if we go back once again, from seeing the fire for the first time to me re-entering to try and get car keys was no more than 1min,

 

this shakes me as if I slept for 1 MORE minute this may have been a total different outcome....thankyou to someone watching over us.......

 

The sound of roaring flames and smashing glass was so loud and frightening, the flames were so intense and were 3 times the height of the house - it was just raging.

 

So Mum and Lester lost almost everything, somehow the firebrigade stopped the fire getting to the garage and our vehicles and we will be forever thankful; they were working hard. Unfortunately Mum and Lester's fish and beloved cat Tootie were lost in the fire, RIP Tootie.

 

Our parents do have insurance but it was well outdated and will not cover the costs of the contents or the building, so im reaching out to help lessen the extra cost on Mum and Lester and to see if we can take a little bit of pressure off them.

 

Thankyou to the wonderful community in Baxter, in Mum's Street showing so much support to Mum and Lester, for the clothes for the children and I, and also for helping with my children.

 

Thankyou for taking the time to read this."