Community Rallies Together in Irmo, S.C. Following Family’s Devastating House Fire

Heartwarming Moment in Irmo, S.C.: A Community Comes Together After a Devastating Fire

IRMO, S.C. — On a day that seemed like any other, Larkin Newberry and her partner, Jesse Matthews, faced the unthinkable when their home was engulfed in flames just six days ago. Standing amidst the charred ruins of what used to be their warm and welcoming living room, Newberry’s heart sank as she noticed a small yet significant concrete mold of their hands intertwined with their 11-year-old daughter Cece’s. It was now covered in soot, a bittersweet reminder of happier times.

“Don’t break it!”

“Don’t break it!” Newberry urged Matthews as he diligently reached for their fragile keepsake. As she examined the mold, her voice trembled, touched with both devastation and relief. “That’s Cece, and I think that’s me, and Jesse was on the outside.” In a twist of fate, while the family had sought refuge at a friend’s house in Charleston on the night of the fire, everything they held dear was going up in smoke.

The Moment of Realization

When Newberry received an alert on her Ring doorbell app, she typically would have ignored it like any other notification. But this time was different. She saw the panic on a neighbor’s face as he appeared at their doorstep. “I looked at it, and I didn’t really look at him. I said, ‘No, this guy looks really panicked, like he was running back and forth,'” Newberry recounted. Answering the door, she was hit with the devastating reality: “There’s smoke coming out of your house. I’m calling 911.”

Bravery in the Face of Danger

As the situation unfolded and flames surged inside their home, Alisha Gran and her husband happened to drive by and spotted the growing smoke. With no fire trucks or emergency services present, Alisha knew she had to act. Urging her husband to stop, she leaped into action. “When I got up to the gate, I noticed it was open, and there was a man there who had managed to get the door open,” she said, recalling her desperate attempt to help.

Searching for Pets

Understanding the heartbreak involved, Gran bravely rushed into the thick smoke multiple times, hoping against hope to locate the family’s beloved pets, two dogs and a cat. Unfortunately, the smoke proved too dense, and despite her best efforts, she couldn’t bring them to safety. “It meant so much to us that they were trying, you know, because we feel so powerless, being so far away and just watching all of this unfold,” Newberry expressed with profound gratitude.

A Heartfelt Thank You

Feeling both grateful and helpless, Newberry took to Facebook to extend her thanks to the kind neighbors who had tried to save her animals. Gran, deeply moved by the message, reached out, and the two women met for the first time, emotions flooding as they embraced. “I feel a lot of sadness for them, and I want to help them in any way,” Gran said during their poignant meeting. “I feel like I’ve possibly made a new friend,” she added with a slight grin.

A Powerful Reminder

Despite losing their home, Newberry found comfort in the outpouring of human kindness that had surrounded her family during such a challenging time. “Life does suck. We go through so much. You know, we have both experienced massive loss in our lives,” she reflected on the lessons learned. “I think people need reminders that there are people who will stop—having no idea what they’re running into—to try and save someone’s pets.” With deep gratitude, she concluded, “There are good people out there.”