Urgent Help for Chris: Rebuild Home for New Baby

Our Story

Hi, I’m Chris, and my wife and I have been hit hard. Four months ago, a house fire—triggered by electrical issues—burned through our home, taking nearly everything: furniture, clothes, our sense of security. We were planning a wedding to celebrate our life together and a baby shower for our first child, due in two months. Instead of joy, we’re racing to rebuild a safe place before our baby arrives, hoping to be back by next month. Right now, that feels impossible.

What Happened

The fire was only the beginning. The fire hoses slammed our pipes with a water hammer, bursting them and flooding the basement knee-deep. Winter came, no heat, and more pipes froze and cracked. I went to clean up and smelled gas—Citizens found multiple leaks along the lines, unrelated to the fire but adding to the nightmare. The electrical work—new panel, new wiring—is still unfinished, leaving us powerless. With no heat all winter, condensation wrecked the drywall; now the walls are crumbling, coated in black mold, and the house is unlivable.

Insurance let us down—a check too small to dent the damage, and public adjusters wanted 10% of that scraps, so we passed. Every repair—plumbing, gas, electrical, mold—piles on costs we can’t cover. We’ve lost not just our home, but the chance to celebrate our wedding and baby shower like we’d dreamed.

Why We Need Help

We’re not the type to beg. We’ve tried everything—insurance claims, savings, grit—but we’re out of options. Our baby’s due in May, and we need a safe, warm home, not a toxic wreck. Beyond that, my wife and I wanted to start our family with a wedding and a shower—small moments of happiness after years of work. Now, we’re just trying to keep a roof over us, and it’s breaking us down.

We’re aiming to raise $35,000 to finish the electrical, fix the plumbing and gas, tear out the moldy walls, and make this house livable again. It’s not about the celebrations anymore—it’s about a stable start for our little one.

How You Can Help

If you can donate—$5, $10, whatever you’ve got—it’ll go straight to the repairs. If you can’t, sharing this page might reach someone who can. I’ve posted photos below—flooded basement, moldy walls—ugly but real. We’ll update you as we go, so you’ll see what your help makes possible.

Thank you—for reading, for caring, for any bit of support. It’s humbling to ask, crushing to need it, and we’re so grateful for anything you can give.

Chris Bartholomew