December 11, 2024

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Family loses home, pets in devastating fire just before Thanksgiving

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) – A family in southeastern North Carolina is spending Thanksgiving picking up the pieces of their home after it was destroyed in a fire this week.

John Sickles and his fiancée Carrie Grace both got a call Tuesday afternoon letting them know their home in Wilmington was on fire, so they both rushed home.

“It’s been overwhelming for us,” Grace said. “We’re just devastated.”

Grace’s daughter, Devin, who was on her way home from college for the holiday arrived at the house first.

No one was inside the home when the fire started except for the family’s two dogs and cat.

“I ran all the way down to the firefighters,” Devin said. “And I just yelled, ‘This is my house. This is my house!’ The first question I asked were where our animals were because that’s the first thing I wanted to know.”

All three pets died in the fire. Devin said that’s been the hardest part of the whole thing for her.

“I was just, you know, completely beside myself,” Devin said through tears. “The only thing I want are my animals.”

“Nobody teaches you how to deal with this,” Sickles said, trying to hold back his emotions. “It’s just something you’ve got to kind of, you know, lean on your friends and figure it out.”

John worked as a professor at Crew Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Hampstead. The owner of that business created a GoFundMe to help them recover from their loss, and many parents have shared the devastating news on social media.

“My gym is the best,” Sickles said. “They’re my family besides these guys.”

Many businesses have also stepped up to help the family. They said Halo and Wings Cremation offered to cremate their pets for free.

The family is currently staying at a hotel in Mayfaire for a discounted rate. Brixx Pizza is giving them free meals in the meantime. Chris’ Restaurant has also offered to deliver them a Thanksgiving meal.

While it’s not the Thanksgiving they thought they would be having, the family said they still have so much to be thankful for this holiday.

“The community has really rallied together for us and we can’t thank them enough,” Grace said. “We’ve had neighbors on other roads come over just like to give us hugs and to ask what sizes we wear and to donate clothes. We’re just so thankful that people have donated and helped us out through this. We can’t even express how much it means to us.”

The family said they also want to thank New Hanover County Fire Rescue and the Wilmington Fire Department.

Investigators were at the house with the family Wednesday, but they still have not determined how the fire started.

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