WESTLOCK – Friends and family are rallying behind a Westlock County woman who lost her husband and her home just weeks apart.
In the early morning hours of July 21, a fire destroyed the family home that Sue Familton and her mother-in-law lived in just south of Vimy. It is the latest devastating blow for Familton who lost her husband to cancer a few weeks ago in early May.
“After my uncle Len passed away things were really tight for them and some of the bills couldn’t get paid,” said nephew Jaredd Thornton, noting his uncle was the sole income earner in the family. “Then they had this fire.”
As caretaker for her mother-in-law, Familton, 64, has also endured financial struggles in recent weeks. To help his aunt, who had no insurance on the home or its contents, Thornton has set up a GoFundMe page “Emergency Relief For Familton Family” which has already raised close to $4,000 out of a goal of $10,000.
“The response to the GoFundMe (page) has been incredible. We’ve had people donate from $25 to $1,000. A lot of people who live in the Westlock community are coming together to help a family in need,” he said. “Times are hard right now for a lot of people and they’re giving their hard-earned money to help out. It’s something special that’s for sure.”
Thornton said Familton and the family are extremely grateful for the donations so far and are touched to see the outpouring which he called “awe-inspiring.”
While the fire is still under investigation, it is believed to have started in the garage, said Thornton, adding Familton was at home with her son Sydney when it broke out.
“He (Sydney) went to open the garage door and it was filled with smoke,” said Thornton, noting his aunt got the family pets and her mother-in-law to safety. “Her vehicle was parked just outside her attached garage and the heat got so intense it actually melted the back of the car.”
Familton was able to salvage some of her clothing, albeit with smoke and water damage, but the rest is gone including her vehicle and some cherished items including her mother and father’s ashes with their wedding rings, her husband’s ashes, that had not yet been placed in an urn and several keepsakes from her childhood.
“She lost quite a few things that were very sentimental to her in this fire, that unfortunately there’s just no way we can get back,” said Thornton. “She went through a lot especially with the passing of my uncle but she’s staying incredibly strong through all of this.”
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