Multhauf Family House Fire

Hi, my name is Mindi Multhauf. Unfortunately, on the 28th of this February 2023 Matt and I had a fire in our home and we have been displaced since.

Thankfully everyone is okay for the most part. Ethan, our 17 year old son, suffered first and second degree burns on both of his arms, but he is thankfully healing nicely. I am so proud of him and how brave he was immediately putting out the fire that was started by his sister who decided it was a great day for deep fried Oreos. He didn't even hesitate to jump in there to save his sisters, pets, and our home from complete destruction. Hannah (our 16 year old) is extremely shaken up and I don't think she will ever try to deep fry anything again. Kylie (13) and Leah (12) are still shaken up from everything as well even months later.

The last 3 months were an extensive process of cleaning. All of the flooring in the home was a complete loss, kitchen, and the kitchen and dining room ceilings had to be tore out. All the walls will needed deep cleaning or replacement and then sealing and repainting. Our kitchen must be completely gutted and redone including all electrical. This unfortunately will be affecting our business and we will be closed until further notice as well. There was not one room in our home that did not get damaged by all the smoke from the fire. Unfortunately we are learning that smoke damage. It can be just as bad as the item just burning up in the fire.

On Friday morning a few days after the fire, our family suffered yet another loss. Back in 2016 Ethan got his first pet. A girl guinea pig that the kids lovingly named Dave. For the last 7 years she has had a wonderful life being loved by her for kids. On Thursday she started not doing very well and by Friday morning had passed in her sleep. Rip Davey Pig.

Every day we are finding out more and more. Since neither Matt nor I had ever had a fire and had to deal with insurance this has all been so much to handle. Due to the absolute devastation of losing our home (and my workplace) and being homeless essentially (we have to stay in an Airbnb due to no short-term rentals that could fit our entire family). So far since the fire we have had to move 4 times and the money will go towards insurance deductibles for both home and medical , replacing all toiletries, food, pet supplies, clothing, and increased gas expenses due to having to live an additional half hour away (soon to be over an hour when we have to move again June 8th) from work/school, and all other expenses while we navigate being displaced from our home and having to replace everything. We made an Amazon Wish List as well for those asking which items we need help replacing the most urgently along with some of the things the kids lost and clothes, underwear, etc. to get them through the next few months. Here is the direct link. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2SAH5C7ROHIYS?ref_=wl_share

Matt and Mindi Multhauf and kids

Since I work from home this is creating additional challenges as well. I will need to coordinate using a nut free kitchen to be able to complete orders. I did end up losing all of my baking supplies besides my pans that could be cleaned. All of my sprinkles, fondants, ingredients, gumpaste flowers, cake stands (burned from the kitchen fire), cake toppers, boxes, boards,tips, cutters, ect. have to be disposed of. Even my edible printer had to be disposed of. The amount of losses are insane.

Yes, we do have insurance thankfully and losses should be covered but we arefinding that they are starting to short us on things and there is nothing we can do. They tell us what they think our stuff is worth. There are still so many unknowns and we also have to pay everything out of pocket until our claim is settled which has almost wiped out our saving over the last few months and we possibly won't be reimbursed at all.

I have had many questions with people asking since the fire was only in our kitchen why can't we just stay at our house. The explanation is that we are not able to stay in our home due to the amount of smoke damage on top of the fire damage. The smoke permeated the entire home through our HVAC system. The smoke caused damage throughout our entire home and now the entire house had to be completely professionally mitigated by Servpro and then the entire house will need to be sealed and repainted, all carpeting will need to be replaced, anything that is a porous material will need to be disposed of. We never realized that smoke damage could be so extensive from a small kitchen fire.

All of this just feels unreal and like a bad dream. As many of you know, Matt and I have had an extremely hard last year with my health and this will hopefully be the end of our terrible luck. Our family thanks everyone that has been there for us.

This last year has been such a hard and trying time for our family and all of this has been so much, but I am so thankful throughout it that our family has stayed so strong and that Matt and I have each other and our children to lean on during this time.

Please keep our family in your prayers as we are all really struggling after this past year's events.Thank you.

With love,

Mindi and Matt Multhauf and kids

Here is an update about what happened to the GoFundMe that was started when our family first happened. :

I am absolutely numb and devastated right now. I am sitting here is tears writing this. On top of losing almost everything in our home, our pet, having to be separate from our kitties, being homeless for the last 3 months and having to move 4 times already with a minimum of 3 more moves left this summer to temporary houses, hours of extra driving every day, and not being to return home until at least September because of the amount of smoke damage in our home was just informed by Gofundme that the account that had been set up from us was stolen by one of the 2 girls that offered to set it up. XXXX (Name removed) did not add the 2nd girl or I to the account. XXXX was the only one with access to the account.

This week has been full of blows. We are having to fight with the insurance company over many, many things, that they are just not covering with no explanation that are clearly burned, our brand new furniture that we bought in November was completely ruined, the cleaning company ruined or broke a lot of our items (very sentimental items that weren't lost and now are), burns on our back deck because of cigarettes being put out on it by workers, our house sitting for a month now with no movement. Going down to one income and trying to navigate through all of this is breaking me and now this from someone that we thought was a friend is absolutely devastating.

Trust and Safety Team (GoFundMe)

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8:02 AM (3 minutes ago)

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Hello Melinda,

Thank you for submitting a beneficiary claim about this fundraiser. After reviewing the information you submitted, our team will begin an investigation into the account immediately.

For the time being, we can share the following information with you:

The fundraiser was created by Axxxxxxx xxxxx on Mar 15, 2023.

After processing fees, the total amount available for withdrawal was $2770.18.

Funds were withdrawn by Axxxxxx xxxxxx via the following bank transfer(s):

8 withdrawals sent, totaling 2770.18 USD.

$116.22 sent on 2023-04-06 00:18:11 GMT

$266.12 sent on 2023-03-29 00:24:09 GMT

$23.97 sent on 2023-03-28 00:37:18 GMT

$290.4 sent on 2023-03-23 00:19:46 GMT

$573.83 sent on 2023-03-22 00:18:44 GMT

$95.89 sent on 2023-03-21 00:19:39 GMT

$395.7 sent on 2023-03-20 00:21:59 GMT

$1,008.05 sent on 2023-03-19 00:20:14 GMT

We are unable to release any further details without a court-ordered subpoena, which can be sent by law enforcement to [email redacted].

We strongly encourage you to contact law enforcement, as withholding donations is considered a crime.

To qualify for protection under the GoFundMe Beneficiary Guarantee we ask that you:

File a police report

Share a copy of the full police report with our team via our secure form.

Ask law enforcement to fill out the receipt at the end of page four of the dossier.