Neighbors Rally Around Family After Home Burns Before Holidays

A Chicago family lost everything—their home and two pets—after a fire. The parents can’t bring themselves to tell their youngest daughter before Christmas, so they’re telling her they’re on vacation.

Bob Collins, his wife Beatriz, 17-year-old Karen and 4-year-old Penny and two relatives who were living with them weren’t home when the blaze broke out in the 5800 block of North Kilbourn Avenue. The family’s cat, Sasha, and dog, Selina, did not survive.

“Every vacation moment, every hand down from her mother, my grandmother, every keepsake is gone,” Bob Collins told NBC 5. “My oldest daughter is taking it every hard—she’s been praying often.”

The family feels grateful, however, from the support they’ve received from their community. Neighbors have set up a GoFundMe to help the family with expenses.

“It’s amazing—you don’t know what to say—it’s God sent,” Collins said. “Has to be God sent for people who don’t know you do so much for you.”

The family is hoping to move into a rental home in time to hose Christmas dinner—but they say Kilbourn Avenue will always be home—and they hope to be back very soon.

“Yeah, I’ll be here a long time,” Collins said.