‘There’s so many good people out there:’ Couple grateful for community after devastating house fire
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BAY CITY, MI (WNEM ) — A Bay City couple is counting their blessings after tragic house fire over the weekend.
“I’m happy to be alive,” Becky Wenzel said. “I get more time with my family.”
On Sunday, Brian and Becky Wenzel returned to their beloved home which now sits in scattered pieces.
“I just sat here and watched it burn for four hours,” Brian said.
The Wenzels were preparing for their Saturday Christmas celebration with their children and 10 grandchildren.
Then the food, snacks, clothes and plenty of Christmas presents were all gone.
“We jumped up, got out of the bedroom, seen flames in our dining room area, shooting up from a cellphone that caught fire,” Brian said.
The Wenzel’s say if it wasn’t for their smoke detectors the situations would have ended differently.
“We wouldn’t be here. We would not be here,” Becky said.
The gathering was going to be a time to celebrate love and family after a hard year.
Becky can’t work because of disability and for Brian, work has been hard to come by.
“I’ve been laid off since mid-August,” he said.
Still, the Wenzels are counting their blessings, showing immense gratitude to crews, neighbors, and their own family.
“I’m fortunate to have the family we have. Very fortunate,” Becky said. “People have been donating stuff. Brought us clothes and stuff. There’s so many good people out there.”
In the end, the Wenzels are just glad to be alive.
They’re remaining optimistic and hoping to rebuild a brand-new home on the same corner they’ve lived on for the past 8 years.
“We’re alive, that’s amazing,” Brian said. “As long as we’re alive we can always rebuild, and that’s what’s going to happen.”
You can help them rebuild their home by donating to their GoFundMe at gofundme.com/f/brian-becky-wenzel-house-fire-relief?sharetype=teams&member=7661244&pc=fb_co_campmgmt_m&rcid=r01-16090046284-c7a2f5e777654913&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_lico%2Bshare-sheet&fbclid=IwAR2q5cfuDMqTELFWCxWBNmOfb08eOdfpgRmGL1NhelJCBKIKkbRe4Mt4pQ0
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