JACKSON CENTER — The first call a Shelby County firefighter went on was his own home.
Spencer Yinger, 19, just became certified to fight fires this month.
Little did he know he would have to respond to his own home.
“I’m on the fire department that came and put the house out ... as I’m putting my gear on my assistant chief asked, ‘whose house is that?’ and I look up over at the TV and I read the address and I’m like ‘hey, yeah, that’s my house,” he said.
The house is a total loss.
Yinger lived there with his mom, dad, and younger sister.
The family’s two golden retrievers Lizzie and Linus were in the home when the fire broke out.
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Yinger helped get Lizzie out, but Linus did not make it.
“It’s weird coming home and we’re driving past and just seeing nothing there at the place we called home for eight years now,” Yinger said.
The family is now staying with relatives in town.
Breezy is Spencer’s mom.
She said people in the area have helped them out.
“Both the Jackson Center and the Botkins community have rallied around us. We have clothes, we have coats, snow hats, winter coats,” Breezy said.
She said the family loves the Bengals and Spencer lost a signed Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson jersey in the fire.
“It’d be our little Christmas miracle if I could get him that signed jersey,” Breezy said.
At a time when they’re trying to pick up the pieces, they’re grateful to have each other and are proud of Spencer.
“Watching your son what he was trained to do,” Breezy said. “Knowing that he had just lost everything right along with the rest of his family. There was a proud moment here within all those emotions.”
The family is trying to get in touch with the Bengals to get a new jersey.
They are planning to rebuild their home on their property.
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