FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Ohio — A family lost nearly everything after a house fire last week, and the community is rallying to support them.
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Justin Miller and Danielle Prosser told our news partners WBNS-10 TV that they had just moved into the Fairfield County home with their three kids a little over a week ago.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire.
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Rick Ellas, Mayor of the Village of Baltimore, and longtime friend of the Millers got the ball rolling to help.
“Within an hour, we had a GoFundMe, a Venmo, and we were rolling,” Ellas said.
Within a day, the fundraiser gained more than $16,000 and counting.
“I’ll bet you half the people that donated money really don’t have the money to donate but when you lose everything, you’re better off than the guy before you,” Ellas said.
Ellas and his fundraising partner, Wendy Poston, are making sure the money is getting to the Millers as fast as it’s coming in.
Miller and Prosser told WBNS-10 TV they are in disbelief.
“More grateful this morning than I’ve been in a very long time, even though we lost everything,” Miller said.
Miller was at home with his 3-year-old son, Cylas, when the fire started the morning of Thursday, Dec. 12.
“While I was working, he went from the den to the kitchen in the house and he started yelling to me that there was a fire… I’m still shocked that he was able to identify and just very alertly tell me, like he knew and he kept yelling to make sure that I came in… and it’s just incredible,” Miller said.
Prosser said that when Miller called her, she didn’t believe it was real until she saw it for herself.
“I couldn’t look away. I watched every second of it ‘cause I was just in disbelief. The whole drive there I was like no this can’t be real,” Prosser said.
Miller is well-known in the community as the Varsity Baseball Coach at Liberty Union High School.
He said he was blown away by the support of his baseball community, both past and present. As soon as they heard about the fire, several of them rushed over to help.
“It was always my job to be the leader in charge and try not to show emotion but when those guys show up yesterday I just couldn’t control it… never in a million years did I think we would have this kind of support for something like this so it’s just really humbling,” Miller said.
“People say oh everybody knows your business in a small town. Well, it’s a good thing they do know your business cause if it’s bad, people are there to help,” Ellas said.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal. You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
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